Yu-Gi-Oh Tagforce: Cherished Evolution
by Mage of Hope
Summary: Mix between anime and Tagforce series! When young, timid 13 year old Elize Simington arrives in Duel Academy, Jaden won't be the only person who can communicate with Duel Spirits anymore! Join this shy lass when she faces off against many obstacles with her new friends and keep the title of "Red Hat Girl" with her own Deck full of Spellcasters and Charmers!
1. Prologue Part 1

**Hey everyone! This is a rewritten version of a Yu-Gi-Oh GX fanfic I made like two years ago or so. Erased it because of too much work, but now I'm back, but I don't know when I'll update daily, so you've got me to settle with. This fanfic will be a mix between the anime and the Tagforce series, just to let you know.**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Duel Academy.

A place where one learns and hones their skills as a duelist in the game of Duel Monsters. Where duelists from rank Slifer Red to Obelisk Blue arises to be the very best like no one ever was.

Right now, classes were taking session in the middle of the day, and a certain boy with Kuriboh-like hair was taking a nap while a blond-haired flamboyant teacher was explaining about one of the revival cards in the game.

"Jaden Yuki!"

"Mmmm...Crowler..."

"Jaden Yuki!"

"Yeah...Crowler..."

"Jaden Yuki!"

"Mmmm...yeah...pour that maple syrup all over me...You beautiful lady that lives in my house..."

"JADEN YUKI!"

"Wah!"

Falling out of his seat, a wide-awaken Jaden groaned, rubbing his head as he stood up. A fuming, red-faced Crowler was glaring at him while everyone else just laughed.

"Just what were you dreaming about?!" exclaimed Syrus, who was just as red as a tomato.

"Something about a girl in my house, and I was a pancake, and Crowler was there for some reason."

"Was she cute?"

"AHEM!" Both boys turned to Crowler, who was losing his patience and NOT in a good mood. "While you were asleep, Jaden, I asked you a question! If you answer this right, I won't give you detention!"

"Aw, sweet!"

"Not as sweet as it's going to be if you get this wrong! Now, what does the Warrior Returning Alive card do?"

Jaden laid back against his chair. "I think it's pretty obvious what the Warrior Returning Alive card can do."

"Oh, really? And what, pray tell, can it do?"

"Oh, I dunno, brings a Warrior-Type back from the grave?"

"...Lucky guess."

While Crowler headed back down the stairs to return to his desk, an astonished Syrus whispered, "Hey, Jay! That was pretty cool! I didn't actually expect you to answer that one correctly!"

"Well, it was pretty obvious. Plus, I had the card in my deck anyways."

Nearby, a couple of Obelisk Blues were chatting towards one another, a topic that somewhat intrigued Jaden. In fact, he was so curious, he leaned forward just to eavesdrop on their conversation some more.

"Hey, you hear about the newbie?"

"Yeah, heard about it from the teachers. Says that a new transfer student is gonna come soon."

"Think it's a girl? So digging for a hot chick!"

"Probably. I heard that she had above average scores in the writing exams. Can't say the same for the dueling part, but her skills were enough to get into D.A."

"Hey, so how good at dueling is this new student?" asked Jaden, speaking up towards the Obelisk Blues.

"Oi! Get lost, you Slifer slacker!" one of them snapped.

"Just what is all of the commotion up there?!" shrieked Crowler, his lesson being interrupted yet AGAIN.

Jaden realized that all questions come directly towards the teacher alone. "Hey, teach! You know a lot of things more than we do! What's the new transfer student gonna be like?"

The words "transfer student" seemed to work its magic as it caused a commotion in class.

"Ooh! A newbie?"

"Hope it's a cutie! Might have to...show her the ropes, if you know what I mean."

"Kya! I really hope it's a hottie!"

"Like Zane or Atticus?"

"Even better!"

"10 bucks says it's gonna be a girl!"

"You're on!"

"Alright, class! Quiet down!" ordered Crowler, clapping his hands loudly. "Yes, there will be a new student joining us very soon. It was supposed to be a surprise until _someone_ had to spoil things. Crowler was eyeing at Jaden, who sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey, is the new kid staying in Obelisk Blue?"

"Dude, if it's a chick, then she's obviously staying at the girl's form!"

"I really hope it's going to be at Ra Yellow!"

"Ahem!" Once the class went silent, Crowler continued. "Thank you. Now, according to the rules, only transfer students stay in Slifer Red, for now that is. They may even join the ranks of the infamous Obelisk Blue before you can say, 'Time to duel!''

"Time to duel!" said Jaden, wanting to somewhat get on Crowler's nerves.

"Too soon, Yuki! Now, let's get back to our lesson!"

But unfortunately for the teacher, most of the kids were too distracted to even learn anything, especially Jaden.

 _'This is awesome!'_ Jaden thought, doodling all over his paper. _'I bet this guy's gonna be a great duelist! Maybe fearless, heroic, strong-willed, and confident! Just like me!'_

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

 _'Okay, Elize! Just stay calm and focus! The helicopter pilot told he to go find an adult inside, but I don't see anyone!'_ thought a young, petite girl who was wandering around the hallways of Duel Academy, completely lost.

The girl's long brown hair trailed in the air as she wandered around in the hallways. She looked like any other schoolgirl, wearing a white sleeveless blouse, a nice red skirt that passed down her kness a little, and matching red shoes to complete the look. The only thing out of place was a large red cap sitting on top of the girl's firm little head.

This girl's name was Elize Simington, the new transfer student assigned to Slifer Red. She was extremely glad that she was able to transfer to this school, given that the exams were much more difficult than she thought. She managed to at least get an average score on the writing part, enough to pass at least, but it was a close call with the dueling exam, since she almost lost.

Being transported to the academy by an helicopter, Elize was amazed to see the island from so far up! Once they had landed, the helicopter pilot answered any questions she had, telling her that if she went up to an adult, they would assist her and help her get adjusted to her new life.

Apparently, it must have been classtime, because Elize couldn't locate any teachers or students anywhere. Well, she did hear lectures coming from nearby classrooms, but she didn't want to disturb class nor get in trouble, so she avoided the classrooms.

Turning to a different direction, Elize saw a female adult taking out a water bottle from a venting machine. The woman stood up, holding the water bottle in hand, before spotting Elize.

"Oh! What's a cute, little girl like you doing here?" squealed the woman, walking towards Elize.

"H-hello! I'm a new transfer student here! N-nice to meet you!" introduced Elize shyly before handing the woman the paper forms for her transfer.

After examining the papers, the woman nodded before handing them back to Elize. "Yup! You must be that new student that was supposed to arrive here sometime this week! Nice to meet you! I'm Miss Fonda Fontaine! I'll take you to the Chancellor's Office so you can meet our prinicipal!"

"O-okay. I'm sorry for troubling you, Miss Fontaine!"

Ms. Fontaine brushed off her apology with a simple wave of her hand. "No, no! It's fine! I was on my break anyways and I had nothing to do at the time! Come on!"

Elize nodded, following Fonda as she escorted Elize towards the intended location, which didn't take long. The Chancellor's Office seemed a bit bigger than Elize expected, and most of the room was vacated, consisting only a desk, chair, and a flower pot. Sitting in the chair happened to be Chancellor Sheppard, who was filling in some paperwork.

"Oh Chancellor Sheppard!~" sang Fonda loudly. Her high-pitched voice screeched in the room, making Elize and Sheppard cover their ears, winching. Also, Sheppard accidentally fell out of his high chair.

Elize took a step forward, concerned. "M-mr. Chancellor? Are you alright, sir?"

"Yes, I'm alright!" Chancellor Sheppard used his desk as a means to help himself stand up before he wiped away any dust in his clothing. "What is it, Miss Fontaine? Can I help you?"

Lightly shoving Elize forward, Fonda presented out loud, "This is Elize Simington! She's the new transfer student who was supposed to meet you, Chancellor! She got a little lost, apparently!"

"N-nice to meet you, Mr. Chancellor, sir! It's a pleasure to meet you!" sputtered Elize, bowing her head politely.

Chancellor Sheppard smiled and walked towards the small girl, impressed by her amount of politeness. Not many people were this polite, especially the Obelisk Blues in the academy. "Yes, it's nice to meet you too. Anyways, welcome to Duel Academy! Study hard to become the next King-or rather, Queen of Games!"

"T-thank you, Mr. Chancellor-I mean, Mr. Sheppard! I mean-!"

"It's quite alright, Elise. No need to be modest," assured Chancellor Sheppard before looking at Fonda. "Miss Fontaine? Why don't you help Elize fit in?"

The female adult nodded before placing a hand on Elize's shoulder. "Come on, Elize! Let's get you suited up for your dorm!"

As soon as the girls left, Chancellor Sheppard couldn't help but allow a smile to run across his face. Somehow, the presence of that girl gave him hope that a bright new future would come.

* * *

"Um...Miss Fontaine? These clothes are a bit...big for me?"

Standing inside the girl's locker room, Elize emerged, wearing the standard female Slifer Red uniform, but the smallest size couldn't fit Elize properly as she uniform seemed loose, and was ready to fall to the ground had Elize never yanked her clothes upwards to her chest.

"Hmm...this is going to be a problem...Okay! Just change back to your old clothes! I'll be right back!" Thinking about something, Fonda opened the door, exited out, and allowed the door to slid shut as she began to fetch what she was searching for.

As Elize was changing, a faint, ghostly figure of a young teenage girl with long, blue hair appeared, glancing at the oversized Slifer Red uniform. This girl happened to be Eria the Water Charmer, a Duel Spirit which Elize could see.

 _ **"Man! I wish I had a physical body! That way, I could totally wear those clothes! But on a way bigger size!"**_

"Oh! Eria!" Elize sat up straight, placing her hat plumply on her head. "What are you doing here?"

 _ **"Obviously, I wanted to check out the girl outfits they had in this academy! Maybe I might take the Obelisk Blue one! Even if it looks a bit slutty!"**_

Then, a young girl with short tomboyish brown hair wearing glasses, also known as Aussa the Earth Charmer, went up to Eria and slapped her across the head.

"Ow! Hey! What'd you do that for?!"

Crossing her arms, Aussa simply replied, "It's obvious, isn't it? You shouldn't say bad words around Elize, or even comment on clothing like that, even if it is the truth."

Elize sweatdropped, trying to calm the two girls down. "J-just calm down, the both of you. It's nothing to worry about! Really!"

Unfortunately for her, the two Charmers didn't seem to be paying attention to her; only focusing on each other.

"Ugh! You are such a worrywart! It's the truth! The uniform looks a bit slutty! There! I said it! The skirt is too short and tight!"

"You can't just go judging appearance, Eria!"

Suddenly, thunder bolts rained down on the both of them, zapping both girls and causing them to go unconscious. Knowing what caused the thunder bolts, Elize sweatdropped once more and watched as another one of her Duel Spirits, Maha Vailo, made his entrance and walked towards the unconscious girls.

"U-um...you didn't have to knock them out like that, Maha Vailo," said Elize, watching as he picked both the girls up by the back of their cloaks. This wasn't the first time Maha Vailo had intervened in Eria and Aussa's constant arguments, so it wasn't surprising to Elize.

The silent Duel Spirit only gave an acknowledged nod to his master before disappearing along with a smoked Eria and Aussa, who were still unconscious. Just then, Fonda came back, carrying some clothing with her.

"Hey!~ I'm back!~ Oh! Elize? What's wrong? You're staring into empty space."

"O-oh! Nothing! Nothing's wrong! So, um, the new clothes?"

Fonda smiled. "Ah, yes! Here you go!~ After this, I have to head back to my class! I'm already late! You think you can look around campus for a bit? You can ask a teacher any questions!"

Elize nodded, giving a small smile back. "I think I'll be alright, Miss Fontaine. Thank you!"

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

Alexis sighed as she walked down the hallway, being in a bored mood. For the hundredth time this week, she's been proposed to yet another Obelisk Blue, whom she had turned down. Honestly, can't these guys catch a clue? She wasn't interested in a relationship, at least, not now!

"Hey! Please! Give that back!"

Hearing the pleading cries coming nearby, Alexis rushed forward and saw three tall Obelisk Blue boys playing catch with a red hat. The one trying to get it back from the clutches of those boys looked like a young little girl that didn't seem around here. However, she had a Slifer Red vest on, indicating she was a Slifer Red student. Oh boy, more bullying once again.

"Give it here, Gregory!"

"I'm open! I'm open!"

"HEY!" Everyone turned to Alexis, stopping their activity. Stomping towards the boys, she grabbed the cap from one of their hands, holding it close to her. "Bullying Slifer Reds were bad enough, but kids too? You guys are the lowest of the low!"

Two of the Obelisk Blues panicked at her presence. "Oh man! Alexis is here?! I don't wanna get in trouble, again!" one of them cried out.

"Yeah, I'm outta here!"

"Hey! Wait up!" shouted the last Obelisk Blue boy, who had ginger-colored hair. "Ah, forget them!"

"Ahem!" Alexis was waiting impatiently, tapping her foot and crossing her arms annoyingly. She was waiting for the boy to say something, or apologize to Elize before she reported him to a teacher, just like she did to the other Obelisk Blue bullies.

"What? I was having a little bit of fun!" said the Obelisk Blue boy, shrugging his shoulders innocently.

The spirit form of Hiita the Fire Charmer appeared, looking quite angry at the boy's lies as she turned to Elize. "That's a lie! Elize, tell the truth!"

Elize nodded and shook her head. "No! You and your two friends went up to me, insulted me for my color for some reason, then you took my cap and started playing with it! I even asked you to stop but you said no!"

Alexis fiercously glared at the boy. "Apologize!"

The boy frowned and glanced away. "Hmph! Why should I? She's just a measly Slifer Red! No way am I gonna apologize to a low-lie like her!"

Looking down, Elize felt a bit guilty and hurt. "I-I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, mister...?"

"Gregory! My name is Gregory!"

Alexis didn't seem to care who he is, but she had enough of the bullying for today! "Enough! How about a Duel? If you lose, you have to stop bullying and looking down on others, got it?"

Gregory smirked, getting interested. "Deal, but under two conditions!"

"And that is?"

"If I win, you have to be my new girlfriend, Alexis, and I get to do anything I want to you! And, my opponent will be..." He pointed straight at a startled Elize. "This brat right here!"

* * *

 **Whew! Finished! Read and review!**


	2. Prologue Part 2

**Hello, people! Just letting you know, I'll use cards from the anime in the upcoming duel! I did try my best writing out this duel, so I hope it appeals you!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Alexis and Elize were taken aback by Gregory's proposal; Elize being the only one blushing madly. "W-what?!" she exclaimed, her bright pink cheeks reddening.

Groaning, Alexis had an annoyed look on her face. Another one of those stupid romantic proposals! Well, she should have seen this coming, given that she is the most popular girl in Obelisk Blue. Not only that, but she is extremely strong and much more beautiful than any of the girls in her dorm, not that she's been meaning to brag, of course.

"Gregory, why don't you just duel me? That would make way more sense!" argued Alexis, persistingly trying to get him to change his mind. "This girl has nothing to do with you!"

"Nuh-uh! It does!" said Gregory. "I was...acquainting with the bra-I mean, kid, and then you showed up, telling me to stop and all! Then, I told you the only way I'll agree to stop tormenting the Slifer slackers is if she beats me in a duel! So in a way, yeah, she is involved!"

"Why you-!" Alexis took a step forward, raising her fist and ready to do some damage to Gregory when Elize quickly grabbed her hand, causing her to stop.

"Wait! I don't want any violence happening!" Elize turned to Gregory and nodded. "Okay, okay! I'll duel you! But you have to keep your promise if I win, okay?"

"Done. But if I win, remember, Alexis is my new girlfriend!"

Alexis sighed. "Fine, fine! It's agreed then! Let's just go to the Duel Arena to settle this!" Turning around, she walked ahead of the two before they were trying to keep up with her pace.

Elize walked alongside Alexis, feeling a bit nervous and guilty. "I-I'm sorry for getting you involved in this, miss."

Alexis gave her a genuine smile. "It's fine! In fact, I should be the one apologizing, since I chose this decision without your consent. My name's Alexis, by the way."

"O-oh! I'm Elize, and I just transferred here!"

Looking surprised, Alexis thought, _'Oh! This must be the new transfer student everyone's been talking about! And she looks so young too! Maybe about Syrus's height? After this duel is done, maybe I might give her a tour.'_

"Hey, we're here!" announced Gregory, entering the Duel Arena. Inside was a huge area with stands that provided blue seats. The lights above shined not too brightly, but enough so anyone could see. In the middle of the area was an arena indicating for a duel.

Both Gregory and Elize made their way towards the arena, shuffling their decks to make it a fair duel. Alexis sat down in one of the lower benches, watching carefully with interest. Even if Gregory wins the duel, all she has to do is tell a teacher about the bullying he's been doing, and he'll be having more detentions than dates with her.

"Ready to get beaten by an elite?" asked Gregory confidently as both his own and his opponent's duel disks activated.

"W-well, I don't want to lose, but I'll do my best, Gregory!" said Elize.

"Let's duel!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Gregory - 4000 LP**

"Since you're a newbie, I'll let you go first!" offered Gregory smugly, standing tall with five cards in his hand.

Elize nodded. "T-thank you."

"Hey! Just because I let you have the first turn doesn't mean we're all buddy-buddy!" yelled Gregory. "I'm still gonna crush you in just a few measly turns!"

"Ah! I-I'm sorry!" Frantically, Elize drew her card from her deck.

Alexis examined the duel throughly. _'Hmm...I wonder what sort of cards Elize will play. Maybe she has a Fairy-Type deck? Some Warrior-Types? We'll just have to see.'_

Glancing at her cards, Elize sighed in relief, feeling warmth as she prepared her cards. "I'll set one monster facedown in Defense Mode and lay one card facedown before ending my turn."

"That's it? Lame!" After drawing a card, Gregory looked at his hand before smirking. "My lucky day! Go, Enraged Battle Ox!"

As if falling from the sky, a muscular, belligerent ox-like monster equipped with a swordslayer appeared, preparing for battle.

Enraged Battle Ox - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (1700/1000)

"Now attack her facedown monster!"

Roaring at the command, Enraged Battle Ox leaped up in the air before slashing down at the facedown monster, only to bounce back.

"What?!"

Elize's facedown monster flipped over, still in Defense Mode, and revealed a beautiful blue-skinned woman garbed in a lovely green dress.

Mystical Elf - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (800/2000)

 **Elize - 4000**

 **Gregory - 3700**

"Hey! You tricked me, you little runk!" shouted Gregory, who was just as enraged as his monster.

Elize was startled by his outburst. "B-but I didn't-!"

"Quit bugging her, Gregory!" defended Alexis, standing up from her seat. "It's not her fault you made a mistake! In fact, it's your own fault!"

Gregory's eye twitched before he started focusing on the duel. "Fine! You got lucky! I place one card facedown before ending my turn!"

"Okay!" Drawing a card, Elize thought, _'I don't have a monster that can destroy his monster yet, so I'll have to do my best! I...I hope I win, please! I don't want Miss Alexis to suffer because of me!'_

 _ **"Elize,"**_ spoke the gentle tone of Mystical Elf, turning her head slightly. _**"Just calm down. All will be well if you stay focus and calm down. I will protect you in any way I can, Elize."**_

Finding newfound courage within Mystical Elf's words, Elize nodded and prepared to unleash her strategy. "I'll place a monster facedown and that's it!"

"Well, that was lame," commented Gregory, drawing a card. _'Hmm...no idea what her facedown monster is, but I'm gonna guess it's one with high Defense points just like her monster. Ha! Not falling for the same trick twice!'_

"Hey, Alexis! What's going on?" wondered Jaden, entering the Duel Arena with Syrus and Bastion.

"Oh, hi guys," welcomed Alexis before reverting her attention back to the current duel. "There's a duel going on, and if you wanted to duel, I'm afraid you'll have to wait your turn."

"So, who's dueling?" asked Bastion, curious. "I recognize Gregory from Obelisk Blue, but who'd the girl?"

"Her name's Elize, and you're just in time, because the Duel's just started."

Syrus glanced at the two duelists on the Duel Arena, instantly infatuated with Elize. "She's... so pretty..." sighed the blue-haired Slifer Red, his eyes turning into hearts. When everyone else turned to him, Syrus blushed and panicked, trying to make a good excuse. "I-I mean-! Her clothes are pretty! In a good, friendly way!"

Jaden nodded his head obliviously as Bastion chuckled and Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Alright! I've made my decision!" said Gregory. "I play Marauding Captain in Attack Mode! Then I place one card facedown and end my turn!"

From the field, a young man wearing sturdy armor appeared, wielding a modern broadsword.

Marauding Captain - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/400)

"That's strange," spoke up Bastion. "I understand why Gregory refused to attack Mystical Elf, but why not Elize's other facedown monsters?"

"I think i get why," said Alexis. "Elize had Mystical Elf facedown at first, but when Gregory attacked, he didn't know about the high defensive monster she had, which cost him Life Points. Gregory probably thought her other monster might have high defense, so he didn't want to make the same mistake twice."

"I see. Makes sense."

"Uh...sorry, could you slow down?" asked Jaden, still confused. Bastion and Alexis groaned before proceeding to explain once more, only, being a bit more specific.

Meanwhile, after Elize had drawn a card, she was trying to figure out what to do until she came to a conclusion. "I Flip Summon my Fire Sorcerer in Attack Mode!"

Pointing to her facedown monster, the card switched straight ahead and flipped over, revealing a young blond-haired girl wearing a black dress and far, holding two fireballs in her hands.

Fire Sorcerer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1500)

"When she's Flipped Summoned, I can discard two cards from my hand to deliver 800 points of damage directly towards you, Gregory."

"Say what?!"

Ignoring the two monsters Gregory possessed on the field, Fire Sorcerer bypassed their defenses and unleashed a rain of fireballs at the male duelist.

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Gregory - 2900 LP**

"Yeah! She's in the lead!" cheered Syrus happily.

"Okay! Next, I equip the Book of Secret Arts card to my Fire Sorcerer, raising her Attack and Defense points by 300! After that, I'll attack Marauding Captain!" said Elize.

Fire Sorcerer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1300/1800)

The young female sorcerer concentrated on forming two fireballs in her hands before throwing them at Marauding Captain, who braced himself.

"Ha! Think again!" shouted Gregory. "I activate my Trap card, Call of the Earthbound! Now I get to choose what monster your monster targets, and I choose my Enraged Battle Ox!"

"But he's got more Attack Points than my Fire Sorcerer!" gasped Elize.

"That's the point, stupid! Now, Enraged Battle Ox! Counterattack!"

Rushing in front of Marauding Captain, Enraged Battle Ox deflected the fireballs before charging towards Fire Sorcerer and slicing her in half.

"Fire Sorcerer! No!"

 **Elize - 3600 LP**

 **Gregory - 2900 LP**

"Ouch! That was brutal!" hissed Jaden, unable to comprehend the fact that Fire Sorcerer was turned into minced meat from the previous attack.

Seeing how there was nothing she could do at the moment, Elize said, "I end my turn now."

"Smart," commented Gregory before drawing a card. "My Marauding Captain's no match for your elf, but my other monster has a chance and I equip him with Megamorph! If my Life Points are lower than yours, my monster's strength becomes double! Now, off with her head, Enraged Battle Ox!"

Enraged Battle Ox - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior - LV4 - (3400/1000)

"No!" cried out Elize. "I activate my facedown card, Negate Attack! Not only is your monster's attack negated, but you can't attack for the rest of the turn!"

"Grr! You got lucky! Next time, you're toast!" promised Gregory, ending his turn.

"My turn! Draw!" Looking at her cards, Elize figured out what to do. "Okay! I play Offerings to the Doomed! This card skips my Draw Phase next turn, but destroys one of your monsters!"

"You're kidding me!" complained Gregory, watching as his Enraged Battle Ox started getting tangled up in some kind of silk and automatically destroyed.

"Yeah! His strongest monster's gone!" said Jaden. "All that's left is his Marauding Captain!"

"Next, I summon Maha Vailo in Attack Mode!" said Elize, laying the card on her Duel Disk.

Maha Vailo stood up from kneeling, standing firm with his dark scythe-like wings gazing up with a strong aura.

Maha Vailo - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1550/1400)

"Now attack his captain with Sacred Lightning blast!"

From the palms of his hands, Maha Vailo chanted a spell that caused dark clouds to envelop around the air. The dark clouds sent down lightning which were absorbed by his palms, causing static sparks to form around them before he used the lightning against Marauding Captain.

"Not so fast! I play Dimensional Prison!" declared Gregory.

"Oh no!" gasped Bastion. "With a powerful card like that, not only is Maha Vailo's attack negated, but he's also removed from play!"

"Maha Vailo! No!" cried out Elize, turning to her monster with a horrified look on her face.

As Maha Vailo was slowly sinking into a dark dimensional hole, he seemed to be crying out in anguish and pain. But before he completely vanished, he gave Elize a reassuring smile even though he was in pain and agony.

At the same time, Winged Kuriboh appeared near Jaden, nudging him by the shoulder. The small Duel Spirit seemed to be telling his master something.

Jaden nodded. "I know! Right before Elize's monster disappeared, he was...smiling at her! Could she also speak to Duel Spirits like me?"

"I...okay! I have no choice but to end right now," said Elize, losing confidence in herself quickly. Even though it was just a game, Elize couldn't help but feel horrible for letting her monsters go to the Graveyard, or even removed from the game.

"Good! Then I'll finish this quick!" told Gregory, drawing a card. "Oh, sweet! I sacrifice my Marauding Captain in order to bring out Divine Knight Ishzark!"

Yelling triumphantly, a knight in shining silver armor appeared, stabbing his longsword onto the ground.

Divine Knight Ishzark - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV6 - (2300/800)

"Oh, and one more thing! Any monster my knight destroys in battle, well, that monster is removed from the game!"

"Oh no!" gasped Jaden and his friends on the sidelines.

Frantically, Elize turned to Mystical Elf. "Mystical Elf! No! I can't do this without you!"

The female kindred-hearted monster simply looked at the young girl. _**"It is alright, Elize. You can do this. You're strong. That's part of the reason why you chose to go to this academy, remember? To become strong without having to rely on others all the time."**_

Winged Kuriboh poked Jaden's shoulder. **_"Kuri! Kuri! Kuri!"_**

"I know, bud! I definitely heard Mystical Elf talking! So, Elize can talk to Duel Spirits! Cool!"

"Time to get rid of that dumb elf of yours!" taunted Gregory. "Ishzark! Attack!"

The knight grabbed his sword from the ground before slashing Mystical Elf in half, quickly dealing with her.

Elize winched before announcing, "It's my move!" Due to the effects of her Offerings to the Doomed, she couldn't draw on her Draw Phase. "Okay! I play Pot Of Greed, letting me draw two cards!"

"Aha! So, she managed to avoid the consequence of Offerings to the Doomed!" said Bastion, impressed. "Since Pot of Greed isn't technically part of a Draw Phase, the Spell card goes on successfully! Nice!"

Elize looked at her hand, worried because there was one card she had in her hand she wanted to use, but she didn't want to sacrifice anymore of her Duel Spirit friends.

Then, a ghostly figure of Fog King appeared, placing a hand on her shoulder. _**"Elize. It is alright to sacrifice me. It is necessary to play the card you need."**_

"Whoa!" gasped Jaden, startled to see Fog King when nobody else could except for him and Elize. "That is one strong-looking monster!"

"B-But I don't want to banish you as if you were simply nothing," murmured Elize sadly.

 _ **"It is fine. I will do anyhing to serve you,"**_ assured Fog King. _ **"Besides, I wish nothing more but to wipe the smirk off that Obelisk Blue's face."**_

"O-Okay, if you think you're up for it," said Elize before paying attention to Gregory. "I'm sorry for the wait, Gregory! Now I play Sacred Sword of Seven Stars! I...I banish one Level 7 monster from my hand! And I choose Fog King!"

"So that's what the fuss ia about," mumbled Jaden, worried. "But it doesn't seem like Elize is taking it too well."

"After that, I can draw two cards!" continued Elize. "I summon Witch of the Black Forest in Defense Mode! Then I'll equip her with Fighting Spirit, making her Attack Points increase by 300 for each monster you control! Then, I place one card facedown!"

Roots sprouting from the ground, a dark-haired fair maiden with a third eye appearted, but lightning crackled throughout her body, an effect from Fighting Spirit.

Witch of the Black Forest - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1400/1200)

"Well, that was a waste of a perfectly good spell card," commented Bastion, disappointed. "Why would she play a card that increases her monster's attack, yet at the same time, place her monster in Defense Mode?"

"Witchie! You ready!" asked Elize, calling out her monster by her nickname.

Witch of the Black Forest nodded. _**"Yes. I trust you know what you are doing."**_

"Okay! I end my turn! Your turn, Gregory!"

"Finally! I was getting tired of waiting! My draw! And, oh look! I've got another Marauding Captain in my hand, just waiting to be summoned in Attack Mode!"

Another version of the infamous knight captain appeared, looking as determined as ever.

Marauding Captain - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/400)

"Oh, and by the way! His special ability allows me to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower monster from my hand! And I choose Fire Trooper!"

A fierce soldier with a long, ragged purple cape and winds was engulfed in flames, yet he seemed perfectly fine.

Fire Trooper - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 (1000/1000)

"Now his special ability kicks in!" said Gregory. "When he's summoned, I can send him to the grave and deliver 1000 damage to you directly!"

Fire Trooper burst into flames which were sent packing towards Elize as she covered her face with her two arms.

 **Elize - 2600 LP**

 **Gregory - 2900 LP**

"Now their Life Points are nearly the same!' gasped Alexis.

"Don't give up! Go, Elize!" cheered Syrus and Jaden in unison.

"Hold on! I'm not done!" said Gregory. "Next, I equip my Jewel Sword to my Marauding Captain, giving him a 300 Attack Point boost!"

Marauding Captain's weapon glowed and was quickly replaced by a new, stronger blade in a split second.

Marauding Captain - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1500/400)

"Okay, Marauding Captain! Slice that witch up!"

With the strength of his new sword, Marauding Captain swiftly slashed at Witch of the Black Forest, only to slice the lightning barrier that surrounded her.

"What?!"

"Let me explain, please!' called out Elize, raising her hand. "Fighting Spirit may have increased my Witch's Attack Points, but if my Witch were to be destroyed, I can protect her by destroying Fighting Spirit instead."

Witch of the Black Forest - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1100/1200)

"Fine! But your witch is still going down!" decided Gregory. "Divine Knight Ishzark! Finish her off!"

Elize had to look away as Gregory's knight monster brutally assaulted her witch. "W-when Witch of the Black Forest is sent to my Graveyard, I can move 1 monster with 1500 Defense Points or less to my hand. Then my deck is shuffled."

Once she was finished, Gregory stared at his hand. "Well, looks like my turn's over for now."

Elize nodded. "My turn! Draw! Oh! I play Card of Sanctity! Now we have to draw until we have six cards each!"

Syrus sighed in relief. "Whew! Good thing too, because she was running out of cards to play!"

"Next, I place a monster facedown and activate my facedown card, Book of Taiyou! This card allows me to flip 1 facedown monster into face-up Attack Mode! So, please come on out, Lyna!"

Once her card was flipped over, a young girl with pure snow-colored hair wielding a staff came onto the field, looking happy and child-like.

Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Gregory scoffed. "So what? She's way weaker than any of my monsters combined!"

"Yes, you're right. But her special flip effect allows me to control one LIGHT Attribute monster you have, so long as Lyna's still on the field. Lyna, do the honors!"

Lyna giggled, holding her staff high in the air. "Okie dokie!" Closing her eyes, Lyna chanted an ancient incantation, which caused a magic glyph to form around Divine Knight Ishzark, forcing him to stand by Elize's side on the field.

"Oh, come on!" complained Gregory, upset that the strongest monster on the field is now on a Slifer Red's side.

"Okay! Divine Knight Ishzark! Are you ready?" asked Elize kindly.

The LIGHT Attribute knight gave a curt nod. **_"My blade is yours to command, milady. Besides...I wish to make my master pay for looking down on the weak simply for their color!"_**

"Aw sweet! This is gonna be awesome!" cheered Jaden, having heard what Divine Knight Ishzark said.

"Yup, you're right," spoke Elize, diverting her attention to a startled Marauding Captain. "Please take out Marauding Captain quickly!"

Unsheathing his sword, Divine Knight Ishzark nodded. **_"As you wish! Hiya!"_**

As the Divine Knight charged towards Marauding Captain, the captain put on a brave face as he charged forward as well; both warriors clashing blades until Divine Knight Ishzark struck him down.

 **Elize - 2600 LP**

 **Gregory - 2100 LP**

"When Jewel Sword is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to draw one card," spoke up Gregory.

"Okay! Lyna! Attack him directly!" ordered Elize, executing the command.

 _ **"Alrighty!"**_ Focusing on her magic, Lyna formed an orb of light that sprang up from her staff. Yelling outloud, Lyna fired the orb at Gregory, hitting him in the chest.

 **Elize - 2600 LP**

 **Gregory - 1600 LP**

"Next, I place one card facedown and end my turn! It's your turn, Gregory!"

"Hey, at this rate, Elize might win!" said Syrus, quickly realizing the facts and logics at the current situation.

"Yeah, with Gregory having no monsters out, and Elize having not only two monsters, but also the strongest in the field, how could she possible lose?" agreed Alexis.

Bastion frowned. "Don't be so sure. The Duel's not over yet. Watch."

Drawing a card, Gregory smirked. "Perfect. I play Dark Hole!"

"Oh no! That card...! You can't!" cried out Elize.

"I just did! Now all monsters on the field are automatically destroyed!"

"Ah! Lyna! Ishzark!" Elize turned her head, watching as the two monsters struggled to break free of the spiral black hole that was created from the ground.

 _ **"Aaah! Deflect! Deflect! Deflect!"**_ screamed Lyna, trying to use her magic repeatedly even though it was hopeless.

 _ **"Master...why?"**_ gasped Divine Knight Ishzark before he and Lyna sunk deeply into the hole until there was nothing left.

"B-but why would..." Elize still seemed a bit startled and distraught. "I-I'm sorry! I'll avenge you two!"

"Hey, pay attention! My turn's not done!" reminded Gregory. "Now I play Card Destruction! Both of us discard all our cards and draw the same amount we discarded!"

"Huh. Why did he do that?" wondered Jaden.

"Possibly because his hand was useless," explained Bastion. "Or maybe because he didn't want anymore tricks coming from Elize."

"Sweet!" exhilarated Gregory. "I play Monster Reborn, so I can revive a monster from my Graveyard! Come on out, Manticore of Darkness!"

Thunder crashed down onto the field which summoned a lion beast with dark winds. His red eyes lit up and he roared loudly, echoing throughout the area.

Manticore of Darkness - (FIRE/Beast-Warrior) - LV6 - (2300/1000)

Syrus shrieked loudly and hid behind his chair. "T-that is one scary monster!"

 _'Hmm...I don't recall that monster ever being used in battle in this duel,'_ thought Bastion. _'Perhaps he placed it in his Graveyard with the help of Card Destruction. Then, he used Monster Reborn so he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of sacrifice a monster. Clever.'_

"Now, Manticore of Darkness! Attack her directly!" ordered Gregory. "After that, I'll end my turn!"

The lion beast complied by sharpening his claws and flying towards Elize before slashing at her.

 **Elize - 300 LP**

 **Gregory - 1600 LP**

"Oh no! Elize is down to her last Life Points!" exclaimed Alexis, covering her mouth.

Since Gregory's turn was over, Elize drew a card. _'Oh! This might come in handy!'_ "Now I play Swords of Revealing Light! For three turns, you can't attack!"

Bastion nodded with approval. "This may be the break Elize needed. With this card in play, she can summon a weaker monster, and on her next turn, sacrifice it for a much stronger monster that may best Manticore of Darkness."

"Is is my turn yet?" asked Gregory annoyed.

"Wait! I'm not done! Now I play Card Ejector in Defense Mode!"

Springing onto the field, a little girl wearing a red dress and purple hat, as well as holding a wand appeared, looking happy.

Card Ejector - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (400/400)

"Aw! She's so cute!~" squealed Alexis and Syrus.

"What was the point of bringing her? She's weak, just like you!" jeered Gregory.

That insult got Card Ejector all riled up. _**"Hey! Don't call Elize or me weak, meanie!"**_

Elize decided it was best to ignore his insult. "Well, Card Ejector's special ability lets me banish one card in your Graveyard per turn. I think Fire Trooper should do."

"Pfft. So? I only had one Fire Trooper in my deck anways. What are you, stupid?" insulted Gregory, repeatedly hurting Elize with his words and discouraging her even more. "No wonder you ended up with those Slifer slac-"

"Hey! Stop it, you bullt!" shouted Syrus, standing up from his seat.

"Yeah! Elize hasn't done a single thing to you, and all you've been doing is bully and insult her nonstop!" agreed Jaden, also standing up.

"I have to agree," spoke up Bastion. "Those who pick on children are one of the lowest of the low."

Even in Defense Mode, Card Ejector could hear the spectators cheering on and defending Elize. She smiled; happy that Elize was finally being cheered on by what seems to be her friends.

"Okay! Okay!" said Elize, looking at her hand. "I play Silent Doom! This card lets me bring back one monster in Defense Mode! I choose my Silent Magician!"

Kneeling down, a small girl with light blue hair and garbed in dark robes appeared, wielding a staff.

Silent Magician - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV0 - (1000/1000)

"Seriously? You're going to have to do better than that!" advised Gregory.

Elize knew he was right. "O-okay! Lastly, I place a card facedown!"

"Finally! I draw-!"

"Wait!" interrupted Elize. "Silent Magician's special ability activates! Each time you draw a card, my Silent Magician's Attack Power increases by 500, and she grows stronger by one Level!"

As she had said that, her Silent Magician had grown a little older and taller, almost like a child growing into a teen.

Silent Magician - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV1 - (1500/1000)

"Did she say 'Level?'" wondered Syrus.

"Yes, and it gets better. Since Gregory's monsters cannot attack due to the effect of Swords of Revealing Light, every time his turn comes and goes, Silent Magician will grow stronger until she's strong enough to wipe him of his monsters," explained Bastion.

 _'Damn! I need to do something, and fast!'_ thought Gregory. "I know I can't attack, but still, I play Vorse Raider in Attack Mode!"

"Emerging from beneath the ground, a Beast-Warrior-Type monster carrying a sharp axe appeared, looking deadly strong and scary-looking.

Vorse Raider - (DARK/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (1900/1200)

"Next, I'll place two cards facedown! That's it for now!"

"My turn! Draw! First, I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy one of your facedowns! And I'll choose the left facedown card!" decided Elize, pointing towards it.

 _'Ha! Doesn't matter which one you pick, because both are the same! A little ensurance just in case!'_ thought Gregory as the strong wind blew away his chosen facedown card.

"Next, I'll set one monster facedown in Defense Mode!" continued Elize. "After that, I'll play my facedown card, Gift of the Mystical Elf! For each monster on the field, I gain 300 Life Points! Since there are 5, I gain 1500 Life Points!"

5 small, glowing orbs floated up in the air before surrounding Elize's body. They shined brightly with their radiant light, revealing their magic. "And, I'll switch Silent Magician to Attack Mode and end my turn!"

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Gregory - 1600 LP**

"At least her Life Points aren't in the danger zone anymore," said Jaden, relieved.

"Great! My turn now! Draw!" said Gregory. "And, yeah yeah! I know your monster's ability and all that crap."

Silent Magician - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (2000/1000)

"I play Hitotsu-Me Giant in Attack Mode and equip him with Axe of Despair!"

A muscular one-eyed monster appeared, flexing and showing off his muscles as he held an axe in one of his hands.

Hitotsu-Me Giant - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (2200/1000)

"Then, I activate my facedown, Graverobber! That lets me a card from your Graveyard! And I choose Mystical Space Typhoon!"

"Oh no!" cried out Bastion. "I know exactly what he's planning to use with that!"

Elize grunted as whirlwinds swirled around and destroyed the several green glowing swords that held Gregory's monsters in place.

"Now I'm free to attack! First, I'll let Hitotsu-Me Giant attack your facedown monster! Go!" ordered Gregory.

The cyclops-like monster ran towards his intended target, brought his axe upwards above his head, and slammed it down.

Before the assault could begin, the facedown monster flipped over, revealing to be Hiita the Fire Charmer.

 _ **"Oh come on! I didn't even get a chance to-!"**_

Before she could finish, Hitotsu-Me Giant's axe attack sliced her in half. **_"Hehehehehehe! Fire lady go boom!"_** laughed Hitotsu-Me Giant, jumping up and down and clapping to himself in victory.

"Vorse Raider! Show no mercy on that little pipsqueak!" commanded Gregory, referring to Card Ejector.

 ** _"Too easy!"_** said Vorse Raider, gripping his axe. Card Ejector squeaked and pulled her hat down as a way to defend herself before she was sliced up with ease by the merciless Beast-Warrior.

"Card Ejector! Hiita!" cringed Elize, watching the shattered fragments of their hologram forms vanish.

"Oh no! All that's left is Elize's Silent Magician! And if she's gone, Elize's Life Points will be left defenceless!" pointed out Bastion.

"Last but not least, Manticore of Darkness! Attack her Silent Magician!"

Manticore of Darkness roared and leaped towards the Spellcaster monster, baring his fangs sharply.

"I play my facedown, Bracer of Power! This grants my Silent Magician 500 extra Attack Points!" said Elize quickly.

Silent Magician - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (2500/1000)

Silent Magician twirled her staff around before firing a light beam, penetrating a hole in Manticore of Darkness's chest before it destroyed him.

Seeing how there was nothing else he could do at the moment, Gregory said, "I end."

Elize drew a card. "Oh! I'll play Pot of Avarice! I can select 5 monsters from my Graveyard, add them to my deck, and shuffle it. Then, I can draw 2 cards!"

Elizer counted the 5 monsters she received; Card Ejector, Hiita the Fire Charmer, Witch of the Black Forest, Lyna the Light Charmer, and Fire Sorceress. After shuffling her deck, Elize drew two cards. "Now I play Card Rotator! This card lets me discard one card to the Graveyard and forces you to change the battle positions of all your monsters, Gregory!"

"Grrr...!" Gregory wasn't amused as he switched all his monsters into Defense Mode.

"Silent Magician! Please destroy Hitotsu-Me Giant!"

Nodding, the powerful female magician blasted the targeted monster with her magic, destroying him effectively. However, since he was in Defense Mode, Gregory took no damage.

"My turn!" announced Gregory, looking at his cards. _'Damn! No good cards!'_ he thought. _'Might as well stay on the defensive for now.'_

Silent Magician - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (3000/1000)

"Alright, I'll end!" said Gregory.

"Draw!" Elize seemed glad about her drawn card. "I play Shield Crush, letting me destroy one Defense Position monster! And I choose Vorse Raider!"

"What?! Now hold on!"

The Spell card showed no mercy as it shot a green beam and destroyed the all-powerful Beast-Warrior monster.

"Oh no! I'm completely defenceless!" shouted Gregory, staring at Silent Magician. "And your monster hasn't attacked yet!"

"Don't worry! I'll make this quick!" promised Elize. "Silent Magician! Finish him off quickly, please!"

Concentrating on one final attack, Silent Magician brought her staff close to her chest and closed her eyes. Opening them, she swiftly fired an orb of light which hit Gregory directly.

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Gregory - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

Elize sighed in relief as the monsters disappeared and Gregory fell to his knees, completely devastated. "Man, that was close!" she said to herself. "I almost lost!"

"That was great, Elize!" applauded Alexis as she and her friends rushed up to Elize.

Bastion nodded. "Impressive. Perhaps I may duel against you, youngster."

"Yeah, sweet duel! Hey, duel me next! Me! Me!" pleaded Jaden, taking in Elize's hands and jumping up and down.

Feeling envious, Syrus lightly slapped his hands away. "Hey! Stop it! You're making her feel bad!" Syrus smiled and blushed, seeing Elize. "Hi! I'm Syrus! Nice to met you! I hope we can be good friends!"

Alexis walked up to Gregory, who stood up, looking disheartened. "Now, you remember the deal, right?"

Gregory nodded, motionless like a zombie. "Yeah, yeah. Stop bullying other Slifer slackers. I know. I just can't believe I lost!"

Elize walked up to him, feeling a bit sympathetic towards him. "H-hey, if it makes you feel any better, you did good in the duel we had. I-it was probably luck that helped me win this time."

 _ **"Hey! Why are you encouraging the bully?"**_ wondered Hiita, appearing near Elize, frustrated. **_"Man, I can't understand you sometimes, Elly."_**

"Hmph! Whatever! I'm not gonna lose anymore! Hear me?" declared Gregory stubbornly. "I'll be leaving now. It's almost dinnertime anyways!"

After witnessing him leave, Alexis looked at her friends before patting Elize on the back. "Hey guys! This is Elize. She's the new transfer student that came today!"

"H-hello," welcomed Elize, bowing her head politely.

"Hey! Nice to meet ya!" said Jaden, giving her a cheerful grin. "You're gonna love it in Slifer Red! The dorms may be small, but they're extremely cozy and warm, plus the food is great there!"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say great, but it's pretty edible!" added Syrus. "Anyways, you'll love it there! In fact, you're the only female Slifer Red student right now!"

With that fact, both Elize and Jaden sweatdropped when they saw Elize's Duel Spirits being surrounded in a dark aura with red eyes. They were so dangerous, their wrath could match up with the Egyptian Gods. There was no way they were going to allow Elize in a dorm full of just _boys._

Jaden's stomach growled, causing him to laugh. "Oops! Guess we gotta duel another time, Elize! How about we go get something to eat?"

Dinner in the Slifer Red dorm seemed pretty interesting to say the least. All the other Slifer Red boys had been expecting a female transfer student, but were disappointed that they were stuck with a kid. Needless to say, they were going to get nightmares from some...protective Duel Spirits.

Elize had met Chumley, whose appetite speaks louder than his mouth. Since she wasn't really that hungry, she gave the remainder of her food to Chumley, who happily accepted it. She also met the dorm manager, Professor Banner, who seemed friendly, yet creepy in a way, which scared some of her Duel Spirits, like Eria. Pharaoh the cat seemed nice though, so at the end of dinner, Elize's Duel Spirits only liked Pharaoh and Jaden.'

"Well, here you go! Your new room!" introduced Jaden, opening the door for Elize. Inside was just a plain room with a twin bed; one on the bottom, and the other on top. In addition, there was a bathroom installed for girl use only, intended for Elize since she couldn't share any boy room.

"You get the whole room to yourself? Lucky," whined Chumley.

Jaden yawned. "Well, it's getting late, so we should be getting to bed. Our room is two doors down, you know. Tommorow at 8, class starts. Goodnight, Elize!"

Elize nodded and closed the door as soon as they exited. "Goodnight!" After changing into her pajamas, she quickly slipped into the bed covers and slept right away, not noticing her Duel Spirits taking spirit form and watching over her as she slept.

* * *

 **I didn't realize that typing down the duel took way longer than it looked! Ah, whatever! Read and review!**


	3. Tales of Flashbacks

**Ok, just warning you guys, this is going to be a flashback duel, so I wasn't exactly planning on making a duel this time. But I thought about it and decided to go against my better judgement and do it.**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Jaden - 2500 LP**

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

Elize and Jaden were facing off against one another, each having one monster on their side. Elemental HERO Bubbleman stood valiantly on Jaden's side of the field, while Saambell the Summoner was kneeling down in Defense Mode.

Elemental HERO Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

Saambell the Summoner - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (600/400)

"It's my turn! Draw!" said Elize, glancing at her cards. "Okay! I activate the effect of Saambell the Summoner! I can Special Summon one monster from my hand so long as it's the same Level as my monster! But, I can only use this effect once. That's okay! Now I summon White Magician Pikeru to the field in Attack Mode!"

A little girl with bright ocean blue eyes popped out into the field. Her somewhat curly pink hair was hidden under the cover of a wool Scapegoat-like hat, making her pink pigtails pop out from the back of her head. She wore a white robe that almost seemed to big for a small girl like her, yet fitable at the same time. She carried a staff with a white orb on top, completing her cute appearance as a Spellcaster-Type monster.

White Magician Pikeru - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (1200/0)

 ** _"Oh! Is it my turn to attack this time? I really want to prove myself, Elize!"_** pleaded White Magician Pikeru, bouncing up and down.

Jaden laughed. "Someone's a bit eager!"

Elize gave a thoughtful look. "Hmm...We'll see." She glanced down at the cards in her hands; one of them being Fog King. She knew that he had 0 Attack and Defense Points, but in order to make him strong, she had to sacrifice her two monsters in order to combine their Attack Points into him. She hated having to sacrifice her monsters, but she had to come to a decision.

Seeing Elize's sorrowful face, Jaden couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. She seemed troubled, but it didn't seem like losing was the #1 problem in her mind. After all, hanging out with her, it didn't seem like Elize cared about losing more than she cared about her Duel Spirits. It was the same for Jaden himself, except he always like to win duels.

"Hey, something wrong?" asked Jaden softly. "Aren't you going to attack?"

"H-huh? Oh! I'm sorry!" apologized Elize. "I summon Fog King in Defense Mode!"

The heavily armored king of all fogs showed up on the field, kneeling down while gripping onto his sword's handle. He didn't seem quite pleased, seeing how he has 0 Defense and could easily be wiped out.

Fog King - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (0/0)

"Okay! Attack Bubbleman, Pikeru!' ordered Elize, pointing to the Attack Positioned monster, who was prepared to deal with any blows coming straight towards him.

White Magician Pikeru happily twirled her staff around before firing a beam of light from the orb. Elemental HERO Bubbleman shattered into pieces afterwards, dealing a bit of damage towards Jaden.

 **Jaden - 2100 LP**

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

"My turn's not done! I switch Saambell into Attack Mode! Saambell, please attack Jaden directly!"

The little red riding hood look-alike girl pressed her hands into the air, producing some sort of magic on her own. A little hammer popped out of nowhere and hit Jaden on the head, making him yelp in surprise.

 **Jaden - 1500 LP**

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

"Uh oh! I think I'm in trouble now," muttered Jaden. "Hey, Elize? You done?"

Elize nodded. "Yes. I end my turn now!" She thought, _'Okay, so good so far. If I wait another turn, I can have 400 Life Points added to me for every monster on my side of the field thanks to Pikeru's special ability.'_

"My turn!" Once Jaden drew his card, he knew what to do. "Okay! I play Monster Reborn to bring back Sparkman to my side! Then, I play Elemental HERO Clayman to my field in Attack Mode!'

Both Elemental HEROs emerged onto the field, looking as strong as ever. The EARTH based HERO, Clayman, was prepared to barge in with his defenses while his companion, Sparkman, was fully charged for battle.

Elemental HERO Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)

Elemental HERO Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)

"But wait! I'm not done! Next, I combine both of them using Polymerization! I fuse Clayman and Sparkman to create...the all-powerful Thunder Giant!"

A strange dimensional portal appeared, sucking in both HEROs as they spun around and around, creating a gigantic humanoid monster wearing a yellow armored suit as electricity pulsed inside his suit.

Elemental HERO Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"And when he's Fusion Summoned, he can automatically destroy one monster whose original Attack Points are less than the Attack Points he has now! Like...your White Magician Pikeru!"

"Oh no!" Cried out Elize, turning to her Magician. White Magician Pikeru yelped as she was shattered into pieces.

"And don't forget! My monster hasn't attacked yet! Go, Thunder Giant! Destroy her Saambell!" Ordered Jaden.

The giant of thunder raised his palms above his head, storing enough electricity for a quick strike. He threw an lightning bolt full of power towards Saambell the Summoner, making her cry out before she was destroyed.

 **Jaden - 1500 LP**

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden**

"That's game!" said Jaden, doing his usual finger motion of victory. "Say, nice game, Elize! Nearly had me there!"

Elize nodded, not even upset about her loss. "Yup."

Jaden walked towards her and asked, "Hey, why didn't you just sacrifice your two monsters to give your Fog King a boost? I mean, sure he would have been beaten by Thunder Giant, but he'd sure give me a run for my money."

"I...I don't like sacrificing my monsters. They're my friends, and just simply discarding them to the Graveyard feels wrong, " spoke Elize. "That's. ..mostly why I lose duels. But still, if it'll avoid deserting my friends, that's a small sacrifice I'll make."

 _ **"Here she goes again,"** _ sighed Hiita the Fire Charmer, standing by Elize. _**"Always too damn concerned about our well-being."**_

"Hiita?" Wondered Elize, a bit surprised to see the Fire Attribute monster.

"How long had she been...you know, not sacrificing you guys?" Asked Jaden.

 _ **"For a long time. Years since she had us,"** _ answered Wynn the Wind Charmer, also joining in the conversation. _**"It's not really a bad thing, of course. Sure, the Graveyard 's a bit scary, but it's actually fine there."**_

 _ **"Yeah! Plus, it's target practice for all the zombies down there!"**_ Cheered Hiita happily. _**"But I've only been there a few times."**_

Jaden frowned. "EIize, it's all right to sacrifice monsters. I mean, I've got Winged Kuriboh, and my Elemental HERO deck, and they're okay if they get sacrificed."

"I-I don't know...I've heard a lot of bad things down the Graveyard thanks to some of my monsters. They said how bad it is down there. I don't want to sent them down a horrible place."

 _ **"That's just like Elize; always caring for her spirit friends,"**_ spoke Wynn kindly.

"Hmmm..." Jaden seemed a bit uncertain about Elize's style of dueling, but completely forgot when his stomach started growling. "Oops! Haha! Guess I got a bit hungry after our duel!"

 _ **"Ugh...Men always thinks with their stomachs...I'm lucky I don't have a boyfriend,"**_ grumbled Hiita, a bit disgusted before she and Wynn disappeared.

"How about we go back to the dorms and eat a bit of a snack?" suggested Elize. "I have a few snacks back in my room."

Hiita suddenly reappeared, whacking Elize on her head with her staff. _**"What are you saying?! Are you nuts?! A boy in your room?! Ugh!"**_

"Aaah! What?! What did I say?!"

"H-hey! Calm down! No need to throw a hissy fit!" defended Jaden, sweatdropping.

Aussa the Earth Charmer showed up and yanked on Hiita's ear. _**"You idiot. Jaden isn't stupid enough to pull that off. Besides, he'd pay for it if he did anything wrong."**_

"Huh? Why are you talking about me?" wondered Jaden, pointing to himself in confusion. His confusion went to total fear when he saw Dharc the Dark Charmer glaring at him with his stone cold eyes. Even worse, the Dark Charmer was pointing the tip of his staff near Jaden's throat, and boy, was that staff sharp!

"I'm sorry, Jaden," apologized Elize, sweatdropping. "My Duel Spirit friends are a bit...overprotective."

"A bit?! Look at this guy! He's practically threatening me with a spear!" cringed Jaden, raising his hands in surrender.

"It's actually a staff. And besides, they're spirit. They can't really physically harm you."

"Huh?" Jaden waved his hand at Dharc, only for his hand to pass through the spiritual form of the young boy. "Oh yeah! I kinda forgot! L-let's get going!"

Jaden gently pushed Elize forward before trying to follow her back to her dorm room. He glanced behind his shoulder, immediantly regretting his action when he saw Dharc still giving him a death glare, giving him a look that said, "Do anything and DIE."

The insides of Elize's room wasn't that big, but it wasn't small either, plus there were plenty of space to go around. Jaden helped Elize set up a small, light table in the middle of the room before teaching her how to make tea, which didn't take too long. Eventually, they set up the table with two cups of tea and the snacks Elize promised.

"Aw sweet! Spicy Cheeto flavored fries? They're like my favorite, and really hard to find in stores! Where'd you get them?" asked Jaden, amazed as he picked up the small bag and opened them.

"Well, my sis gave them to me for a snack to eat at Duel Academy. I don't really like spicy foods though, so you can have them."

"Yay!"

Winged Kuriboh springed out of his card and took one of the Cheeto fries before giving them a taste. He spitted it out immediantly and whined, disliking the spicy taste.

Curious about something, Elize asked Jaden politely, "Jaden? May I...touch Winged Kuriboh?"

"Hmm? Sure!"

Elize scotched over to Winged Kuriboh, who happily sat at her lap. She decided to rub his fur with her hand as gently as she could, receiving a purring response from the furry monster. She tested something out by ruffling the part of the fur between his wings, gaining a happy squeal from Winged Kuriboh, who urged her to continue.

As she was rubbing the Fairy-type monster, Elize glanced at the clock. "Um...where's Syrus and Chumley by the way?"

Jaden stopped munching on his new snack for a moment before gulping down the contents he had just eaten. "Oh, them? They had to take some after class tutoring. They'll be back soon. So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Huh? Oh..." Elize tried to think of a good topic. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not really that good of a conversation starter."

"Hey, fine by me. Oh! How about we talk about the good times we had with our Duel Spirits?"

"Huh? What do you mean, Jaden?"

"Well, I'll start off a story where one of my Duel Spirits helped me out. You see..."

* * *

 _Flashback..._

 _"Hey! Gimme back my cards! Gimme! Gimme!" cried out a younger version of Jaden, trying to reach for his Elemental HERO cards from two of his bullies, Liam and Sam._

 _"Hahahaha! What a wimp! He's way too short to get his cards back!" laughed Liam._

 _"Yeah! Heroes are way overrated! Try cooler things like robots, doofus!" taunted Sam, raising his hand higher so Jaden couldn't retrieve his cards._

 _"Please!" Jaden caught a glance at one of his cards, which turned out to be Elemental HERO Burstinatrix. Perhaps it was hust his imagination, but she was giving off a small glint in her eyes, as if indicating Jaden to take action._

 _"Waaah!" Liam yelled outloud when Jaden used all his strength to tackle the bigger bully to the ground. He then proceeded to punch the bully on the stomach as hard as he could. After him, it was Sam next._

 _"G-get away from me!"_

* * *

"...And then after that, all three of us got in huge trouble, and I couldn't read comics for about a month!" laughed Jaden, happy about the memory. "Burstinatrix hit me across the head and gave me a three hour lecture about not punching people. She just wanted me to go tell an adult and called me an idiot before saying how brave I was."

"So, she's like a mother then?" questioned Elize.

"Maybe. But, more like an older sister trying to look after her younger brother."

"I kinda know how that feelts," admitted Elize. "I have an older sister named Mina. She's a kind sister, but she can be strict."

"Hmm...I wonder what it's like, having an older sibling," said Jaden. "But, hey! You look pretty cute to be a younger sister of mine! We kinda even look alike! Haha!" He gently ruffled Elize's hair, making her blush embarrassedly.

However, one Charmer, a certain Dark Attribute one, didn't seem to take likely on Jaden's actions as he appeared behind Elize, gripping his staff as his face showed rage. Jaden panicked and pulled his hand away.

"It was a compliment! Don't take it seriously!" cringed Jaden. Dharc seemed to calm down, but still kept his eye out for Jaden before disappearing. "Man, your monsters are way overprotective!"

"Speaking of which, maybe it should be fair if I spoke a story of my own," said Elize, trying to think of a good one. "Oh! Maybe I should tell you how I met Mystical Elf!"

"Huh? What do you mean? I thought you bought her from a card pack or something."

"Not really. I mean, most of my cards were brought from my sister as a birthday present. But I'm not really the original owner of my Mystical Elf." Elize took out her card from her deck. "Um...It's sort of embarrassing, but Mystical Elf is like a mother to me."

"A Mom, huh. I don't even know who the father of my deck should be," said Jaden, joking a little. "But, continue. Who gave you the card anyways?"

"Well, I don't really remember the man, but he was kind and generous. My parents died when I was around 4 or 5. I didn't really know until I was a bit older."

"Oh...I'm sorry, Elize."

"Oh! It's okay, no worries! Anyways, I was at this park one day..."

* * *

 _Flashback..._

 _A little brown-haired girl was sobbing to herself under the shades of a tree, trying to wipe away her tears away. No matter how much she tried, however, the tears wouldn't stop streaming down. They would just continue endlessly and ended up dripping down to the ground like raindrops._

 _A young, firm-looking man with tri-colored spiky hair was walking down the sidewalk of a lovely park in a sunny day. Some children were happily playing around in the playground, running around, swinging on the swing sets, sliding down the slides, or climbing the monkey bars. Other than the children, not a lot of people were around the park._

 _However, there was one child, a little girl, who wasn't playing around with the other children her age. Rather, she was crying and clearly upset about something._

 _The man grew concerned and decided to walk up to the girl before kneeling down. "Is something wrong, little one?"_

 _The girl sniffed and looked at the man with glassy eyes that could break anyone's hearts with just one glance. "M-my big sis said that Mommy and Daddy went to the skies and won't come back. I want them back though...Do Mommy and Daddy not like me?"_

 _Ah. So that was the problem. Unfortunately, this man cannot solve the child's problem that easily. However, one card in his deck seemed to be calling out for him, as if wanting to console the child. He took that card out and smiled, knowing this was just the card the child needed._

 _"Little one? What's your name?"_

 _"E-elize..."_

 _"Elize, do you know anything about Duel Monsters?"_

 _"Kinda.. I started to play about a few weeks ago after my sis gave me my deck."_

 _The man smiled. "Good. Maybe you can add this card to your deck. She's quite handy."_

 _Elize was given a card, and when she looked at it, it was the monster, Mystical Elf. The spirit of Mystical Elf then enveloped her into a hug from behind, warming up Elize and making her smile. "It-it feels warm...thank you lady."_

 _"Oh? You can see Duel Spirits? That makes things a bit interesting," said the man. "You can have the card, on one condition. Trust your instincts, and tell those you trust about your ability to see Duel Spirits. They may help you in the future. Who knows? Maybe I might get my card back."_

 _Elize didn't completely understand, but she nodded. "O-okay, I promise, Mr...?"_

 _The man chuckled. "Oh, I didn't introduce myself. I'm..."_

* * *

"And after that, I don't really remember anything else."

"Have you tried asking Mystical Elf who her previous owner was?" asked Jaden.

Elize nodded. "But she refused to say. I didn't really mind, actually."

 _ **"Perhaps it is my turn to tell a story,"**_ said Fog King, standing in front of the room and startling both Slifer Red duelists.

"Whoa! How long were you there?!" cried out Jaden, falling on his back.

 _ **"Not too long. Now, Lady Elize, will you permit me to tell a story?"**_

Elize blinked. "Um...sure. What kind of story?"

 ** _"Ah! Excellent! I have thought of one! The time where we first met!"_**

* * *

 _Flashback..._

 _Fog King's P.O.V._

 _I was a simple warrior king, ready for battle anytime in a duel as my previous owner powered me up with various monsters he sacrificed. I was the key monster in his deck, and I loved every moment of battle._

 _Sadly, my owner had died of a terrible disease, and his parents sold me in a card store, where I was on display as one of the rarest and strongest cards in the shop. The young children duelists refused to get me, saying I was too expensive and that I was practically useless because I had 0 Attack and Defense points. The nerve of those children, I say!_

 _Still, I cannot blame them. They are simply children after all, fragile creature who do not understand hidden strength. I made short, quick conversations with the other cards in the store, but still, that was not enough to fill the empty, lonely void inside of me. I desperately wished to be used once more._

 _Then, a young little girl came, looking at me and the other cards on display. She didn't seem too happy about the price tag on me, which I was used to the reactions, as experienced from the other children. Still, at least once or twice a week, she would come back, probably hoping the price could lower, even a little._

 _About several months passed, and the little girl still came back over and overl a persistent one, she is. Finally, I had realized what she had been doing. She had been saving up all her allowance, just to buy me! Although it took a while, she still had enough money to buy me and take me home! She could have taken any of the cheaper cards in the store, but she still chose me!_

 _I was overjoyed; so much, that I devoted to serve her in any way I can. Sure, she doesn't really sacrifice any monsters, even when my effect says so, and mostly keeps me in Defense Mode in duels, but that was alright. At least I participated in battles with a kind master._

* * *

 _End of P.O.V._

 _ **"...And that is how I met Lady Elize."**_

Jaden looked at Elize, somewhat impressed. "That's how you got him? Now I'm glad to have called you a friend!"

"T-thanks, Jaden. But why did you decide to use that story, Fog King?"

Unexpectedly, Fog King burst into anime-like tears. _**"Because that is my most favorite story! I adore it so much, I tell it all the time to new recruits to your deck, Lady Elize! I can't stop telling the story over and over! Waaaahhh!"**_

"U-uh...It's okay! It's okay!" Elize patted Fog King on the back while Maha Vailo appeared to take Fog King away to comfort him. Silence filled the air in the room.

"Well...that was a fun time to pass the time," said Jaden, rubbing the back of his head. "Hey, we've made quite a mess in the table, huh? How about we tell more stories while we clean up?"

"Okay, Jaden. Thank you."

"No prob! Besides, I've got a rad story to tell ya! It involves something with a cat, my Avian, and Mudball Man!"

As the two duelists were chatting away a storm, both showed different reactions to one another's stories as they grew closer as friends. Spending time like this sure was bound to get something stressful off the mind. With this in mind, they were sure to keep this friendship last longer.

* * *

 **Whew! Right before I go to bed too! Well, a couple things to point out!**

 **It sure was fun with all the short conversations the Duel Spirits had. I decided to make each one of them have their own personality. I was interested in the Charmer girls right after I heard their cards were popular. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprise if there was a fanclub about them. Heck, there's even fanart about them.**

 **For the flashbacks, they were funny, serious, and memorial at the same time. Well, a bit funny on Jaden's part, but on the other flashbacks, not so much. I'll give you guys three guesses who the mystery man was, but it should be obvious.**

 **Any ideas for the story would be great, guys! Read and review!**


	4. The Maiden And Friend In Love!

**Alright! Here we go!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"If I could please have everyone's attention!" announced Banner. "Eyes forward, students! Chumley, stop chewing with your mouth open!"

Everyone stopped eating and placed their eating utensils down, even Chumley, who now stopped an eating contest with Jaden. A few bowls piled up on their sides, indicating how much they had eaten so far. Apparently, they were still going at it, judging from their half-eaten bowls of rice.

"Good! Now, please join me in welcoming a new transfer student! Blair Flanningan!"

Seeing how she was far and couldn't quite see clearly, Elize stood up from her seat. The transfer student was about the same height as her, and wearing the same Slifer Red uniform as her, even though she had to wear the boy's uniform since the girl version was too big on her. In addition, Blair seemed to be wearing an oversize black cap, hiding his expression.

Looking up, Blair was glancing around the room, curious to see how everyone was doing. Apparently, one student stood out, and it turned out to be the only girl in the room. Once their eyes met, Blair turned to his shoes, hiding his eyes from view.

"I had to stop chewing for a transfer student?" Chumley complained. Of course, he could go back to eating, but he didn't want to get in trouble with Professor Banner, so he stayed put.

"Hey, a transfer student's always good!" said Jaden, standing up on his bench seat. "Blair! Wlecome to S-L-I-F...Something, Slifer!"

Blair stood there, startled while everyone focused their attention on Jaden. Wow, not only was he loud, but he sure was an...entertaining one at that.

Jaden jumped off his seat before making his way towards the new student, placing an arm around his shoulders. "We're the best dorm on campus! And in here, we're not a bunch of stuffy, eggheaded, Grade A gettin' brainiacs!"

 _'I don't think that's quite the welcoming routine, Jaden,'_ thought Elize. _'Still, it was a nice effort.'_

"...And you're gonna love the bathtubs too!" babbled on Jaden, who had finished explaining all the benefits the Slifer Red dorm had to offer, though nobody could understand half the things he said due to Jaden speaking too fast. "Here, maybe you can be friends with someone about your size, like um..."

"Jaden? Why are you-Whoa!"

Jaden grabbed Elize's wrist once he ran up to her. He then dashed across the room back to Blair, releasing his grip on Elize's wrist. "This is Elize, Blair! Elize, Blair! Hope you guys get acquainted!"

"Um...Hello? Nice to meet you," welcomed Elize shyly, hiding behind Jaden and clinging onto his red jacket. She never was really good at introductions like this, especially when Jaden just yanked her out of her seat without warning.

Blair nodded, acknowledging Elize's presence before turning and hiding behind Banner. If anything, Blair was a bit similar to Elize; acting all shy and hiding like she was.

"Jaden, you don't understand," told Banner. "This isn't Blair's home, at least, not for long. He scored perfect on all his entrance exams. You see, it is Academy policy that all transfer students start as a Slifer. However, with his high marks, he'll be moved up into Ra Yellow in a couple of weeks. Speaking of...Elize!"

"Y-yes?"

"I've decided! Blair will be sharing your room until he is all set to go to Ra Yellow!"

"EH?!" Elize was taken aback by Banner's sudden decision. "B-but you didn't even get my consent yet! Besides, Professor! I'm a girl!"

"Oh, don't you worry!" assured Banner, patting Elize's shoulder. "There's obviously going to be strict rules concerning that! And anyways, even if I asked, wouldn't you still agree?"

"I..I guess...?"

Hiita and Eria emerged right next to Elize, both looking quite stern and disappointed at Banner. Of course, nobody else could see them except for Elize, Banner, and Jaden.

 _ **"What a jerk! Relying everything on a cute child like Elize!"**_ scoffed Eria, flipping her hair to the side. _**"That man should be ashamed! I'm never having him as my boyfriend!"**_

 _ **"Same here!"**_ agreed Hiita, gripping her staff which was glowing in a red aura. _**"If I could, I would have roasted that guy along with Jaden, just for the fun of it!"**_

 _'Why me?!'_ wondered Jaden, terrified of the Fire Charmer as he hid behind Elize, gripping her shoulders not too tightly, but enough so that it'll be hard to pull him off.

Banner sweatdropped, knowing full well who the Charmers were referring to. Oh dear...looks like he'll need to sleep with one eye open if he wants to get through the night. Elize's Monster Spirits sure were protective, just like Jaden said.

Once dinner was already served, everyone retreated to their dorm rooms for some rest time before they would sleep. Elize escorted Blair to his temporary room, and Blair had to admit, she did have a lot of space inside. She clearly didn't have many things, so the room was perfect to crash in.

"Wow...I didn't expect your room would be so...big," admitted Blair quietly. He placed his bag on the ground before deciding to wander around the room curiously.

"Um...Thank you, I guess," thanked Elize, who was just as shy as he was.

Blair went up to the bunk bed; unlike Elize, Jaden's bunk bed consisted of three beds, while Elize's bunk bed had only two. He asked, "Hey, where do you sleep? Up or down?"

"I sleep in the bottom bunk bed. That way, I won't have to worry falling off the top bed during the night. Or, do you want to switch beds? It doesn't matter to me."

Blair shook his head. "No, it's fine. I like being on top anyways!" He greeted her with a smile, trying to be as friendly as possible.

 _ **"How dare he...?"**_ growled Dharc, clasping onto his staff and trembling with anger. Elize sweatdropped, wondering how she was going to stop her overprotective Dark Charmer this time.

As if a miracle came to answer her, Elemental Mistress Doriado appeared, looking quite fierce with Dharc for making the wrong assumption. Elize never really summoned Doriado in a duel before, but she did acted like a second mother to her outside of a duel.

 _ **"Dharc! You know that's not what that young boy said!"**_ scolded Doriado, yanking on Dharc's ear.

 _ **"Ow, ow, ow! But teacher!"**_

 _ **"But nothing! We're going back, now! And, I'll assign you extra homework!"**_

 _ **"Nooo!"**_  
Although Elize hated seeing Dharc so down, it was actually a good thing for him to be taught a lesson on being too overprotective. At least she trusted Doriado to deal with him.

"Hey, I'm going to use the bathroom, alright?" said Blair, pointing to the small bathroom inside of the room. "You know, to wash up and all. I'll even keep the door closed!"

Elize nodded, yawning. "Okay, Blair. I'm just going to change into my pajamas and go to sleep, okay? Goodnight..."

Blair nodded, scooping up some items from his bag and into his arms before running inside the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Elize prepared for class tommorow before changing her clothing and falling asleep on her bed; her deck right next to her as if wanting to protect her.

 _ **"Hmm...something's fishy with that new roommate Elize has..."**_ muttered Hiita, wondering what was so strange about Blair.

Wynn had to admit, something was odd about the new transfer student. _**"Maybe...but we should let it go. I don't want to get in trouble with Miss Doriado."**_

 _ **"Yeah, you're probably right. Besides, if that Blair guy tries anything with Elize, I'll smash him with my fire!"**_

 _ **"Um...let's not get to that conclusion, alright?"**_

* * *

 _The next morning..._

 **"Settle down, people! Attention, please! Chumley, stop chewing with your mouth open!"**

All students, Slifer Reds, Ra Yellows, and Obelisk Blues were all gathered in the auditorium, all lined up properly in their own colored sections. Apparently, Chancellor Sheppard had some exciting news to report, hence why they were all here.

Chancellor Sheppard's face was projected onto the huge monitor, and he looked rather excited. It seemed he had some important news to share, making everyone wonder what sort of news he'll speak up.

 **"Good! And now, the big match up between our rival school, North Academy, is coming up! Last year, Zane, our student representative, whooped 'em good! And this year, I want to win the school duel again!"**

Many people, including Blair, gawked at Zane with admiration and respect, since he is the most powerful duelist in the school. Most people murmured about how skilled Zane was, or squealed how handsome he was. Basically, lots of people looked up to Zane as a role model or just a basic everyday crush.

One person among the crowd only stared at Zane with curiosity; Elize. The only reason she did was because he was standing out in the spotlight, literally, with someone shining light down upon him. This is the first she's heard of some guy named Zane, yet, it's been at least a month or so since she arrived.

Noticing who Blair and Elize were gazing at, Syrus cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered to the both of them. "Hey, Blair! Elize! That's my big brother, Zane!"

"Really?" asked Blair, who was just as surprised as Elize. Both never knew Syrus had an amazing older brother like Zane; though technically, Blair had arrived yesterday, and Elize already figured that Syrus doesn't really talk much about his family.

"Yeah, but Mom says I've got the looks," Syrus lightly bragged, shrugging his shoulders proudly. Hey, if he was just going to be referred as 'Zane's little brother,' he might as well add one good trait about him.

 **"Now we still haven't decided who's going to represent us this year,"** continued Chancellor Sheppard. **"So, if you keep hitting those books and dueling hard, you may be the one who gets the honor!"**

Once the announcement was finished, the monitor went blank with the Duel Academy insignia inplanted on it. As soon as it wenht blank, the color sections began to disperse, going their separate ways to classes or other activities.

"Alright! Did you hear what he said?! It could be me in this match!" proclaimed Jaden, all pumped up. Who wouldn't be after hearing that encouraging speech? Zane may be tough, but so are many duelists in the academy; therefore, there is a huge chance anyone, even Jaden, could be chosen.

"Hey! Or me!" reminded Syrus, crossing his arms. "But we might as well face it, Jay! It'll probably be Zane who gets the spot again!"

"How come?" Jaden wondered as he and Blair diverted their attention to Zane. Well, more like Jaden was wondering why Blair was staring so...intensively at Zane, like he wants something from Zane.

"Because he's amazing," sighed Blair, almost acting like those girls who give off those dreamy sighs whenever they look at a handsome boy.

"...Okay...?"

Elize felt a little uneased by Blair's tone of voice, but quickly shrugged it off. Perhaps he had some sort of interest towards Zane, like he wants to duel him like Jaden does. Well, it shouldn't be any surprise if Zane was really popular.

Still, why does she get this uneasy feeling like something was about to happen?

* * *

 _After classes..._

"Amazing?! What's that gotta do with it?! It should be about who's best!"

Apparently, Jaden couldn't get Blair's comment about Zane out of his head. In fact, it only left him a little frustrated since Blair was practically judging based on Zane's popularity and the fact that he is the best duelist in the island.

"Zane did beat you in a duel, Jay," pointed out Syrus, reminding his older friend about the first time him and his big brother dueled. Needless to say, Jaden was so close to winning, but Zane triumphed in the end.

"Yeah, but it was a totally close match!" said Chumley, defending Jaden.

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"Wait, Jaden dueled Zane? When did this happen?" wondered Elize, surprised.

"About a few weeks before you transferred here," explained Jaden with excitement shown in his eyes. "You see, in order to defend Syrus from his evil brother, Zane, I, the hero Jaden, fought against him! It was a dramatic and long clash, but I lost in the end! And the whole world got destroyed! The end!"

"Uh...what?"

 _ **"Now, I know for a fact that that did NOT happen,"**_ said Hiita, expressing her annoyance.

"That's...not exactly how it went, but Jaden got at least, some of the parts right," said Syrus. "I mean, he was defending me when Zane commented that I should leave Duel Academy because I wasn't very good. They did duel, but Jaden lost. That didn't stop Jaden, and he said he would defeat Zane one day."

"Syrus? I don't mean to sound rude towards your brother, but I don't think he really favors you much," admitted Elize with honesty.

Syrus sighed, nodding his head. "I know that. After all, I am the weakest out of both of us."

"I didn't mean in an offensive way or anything! I'm sorry!"

"No! No! You're okay, Elize!"

"Hey, is that Blair?"

Chumley's alarmed voice brought everyone's attention, making them turn to where he was pointing. Blair seemed to be acting a little suspicious; glancing around to see if anyone was following him and carefully running around like he had somewhere to go.

"Oh! I just remembered! I have to return the eraser I borrowed from Blair today!" gasped Elize. "I'm sorry, guys! I'll be right back!"

"No prob! You sure you don't need help?" wondered Jaden, a little concern for the girl.

Elize shook her head. "No, thank you. It'll just be a quick few minutes." She turned and raced after Blair, who happened to be very far from her location, so she had difficulty trying to catch up to him.

By the time she did, she found herself just behind the Obelisk Blue Boys Dorms, discovering Blair standing on top of a sturdy tree branch that was inches from the balcony. Elize wanted to call out to Blair, but was afraid that Blair might lose his balance and fall, so she stayed quiet.

Seeing Blair hop off the branch and successfully land on the balcony made Elize sigh at ease. Still, something was wrong with Blair, and as his friend and roommate, Elize was worried for him.

"What should I do...?" muttered Elize timidly as she tugged down on her red cap. She...sorta had a plan in mind, but she was too nervous to execute the plan. After all, there were a few risks, and she hated taking risks.

 _ **"Hey, isn't it illegal to barge into someone's room like that?"**_ wondered Eria, glancing up at the tree branch where Blair had previously been standing up.

Aussa shrugged, not giving a care in the world. _**"Who cares? Elize, how about you just leave right now and leave that guy? If you stay any longer, you're probably going to be in huge trouble for trespassing."**_

 _ **"Who cares? Elize, do what you gotta do!"**_ encouraged Hiita. _**"I mean, look at me! I've done what I can do and I'm still as fiery as ever!"**_

 _ **"You also forgot to mention how you nearly burned down a forest that one time due to your recklessness."**_

 _ **"Oh, shut it, Aussa!"**_

Taking in Hiita's words, Elize felt determined and decided to go through her plan. Carefully grabbing onto the branches, Elize slowly made her way to the top of the tree until she fortunately stood on the durable branch.

 ** _"Oh, nice advice you gave to our mistress, idiot!"_** shouted Eria, glancing at Hiita.

 _ **"Hey, I didn't think her plan involved climbing a high tree! But, that is pretty brave and unexpected of her, I must admit."**_

 _ **"Elize! Get down from there! It's too dangerous! You'll get hurt!"**_ called out Aussa, frantically waving her arms around. It was truly a shame that they didn't have physical bodies, or they would have forcibly dragged Elize down themselves.

Elize gulped down while sweat trailed down her forehead. She only glanced at the ground below her once, having a grasp of what might happen should she fall. She felt nausea whelming up in her stomach and nearly slipped on the branch before managing to grab hold in a koala-like position. Thinking she was safe, Elize slowly started scootching towards the balcony while tightening her grip on the branch.

 _ **"Elize, this is a terrible idea!"**_

 _ **"Yeah! You'll get hurt! Or worst!"**_

 _ **"Dude, just jump down! There are like, lots of bushes below you! You'll be fine!"**_

 _ **"That's a terrible way to tell her to jump! Even if it is true!"**_

 _ **"Hey, at least there are bushes below! Besides, they should soften her fall! You got any other ideas to get her down?"**_

 _ **"Um...guys? She's already at the balcony."**_

 _ **"WHAT?!"  
**_  
All four Charmers; namely Eria, Aussa, Wynn, and Hiita, turned towards the direction of the balcony, where Elize happened to be. She was waving at them shyly, a sign stating she was alright. The Charmers sighed in relief, knowing their mistress was unharmed.

Noticing the balcony door was wide open, Elize peeked inside, curious to see what Blair was doing.

Inside felt like a nice, cozy hotel room with a huge higher variety for style. The room was completely clean and organized, as well as wide enough for a small party of five or six. Sadly, there was only one bed, which happened to be much bigger and comfortable than any of the beds in the Slifer Red dorm.

Blair opened the drawers, managing to find a deck case. He lifted the lid off with his tender-like fingers and took some of the cards. Unexpectedly to Elize, Blair started nuzzling his face against the cards, a blush tinging on his cheeks as he enjoyed the feeling of the paper cards against his white skin.

"U-Um..." Feeling embarrassed, Elize stumbled back, her back lightly hitting the balcony as she covered her red-tinted cheeks with her hands. She couldn't believe what she was seeing! Was that what people called a...fetish?

"Come on, guys! What do you say we chill upstairs?"

Hearing something from not too far away, Elize saw three Obelisk Blues accompanying the same person who happened to represent the school last year; Zane Truesdale!

This was bad for Elize and Blair's part! If they get caught, who knows how much trouble they'll be in! People from other dorms aren't allowed to be in different colored dorms unless they were granted permission! Not only that, but they might get in heaps of trouble if they get caught for trespassing!

Without thinking, Elize ran inside of the room, interrupting Blair and his private time. "Blair! Blair! We have to go, now!"

"W-what?! What are you doing here?!" demanded Blair. Before Elize could answer, laughter could be heard just outside of the room, and she knew there wasn't much time before the Obelisk Blues got here.

"W-we'll have to talk later! Come on!" Elize ran up to Blair, trying to drag her along by grabbing onto her arm.

She must have yanked too fast, because her sudden movements not only caused both of them to crash to the ground, but the landing caused Blair's hat to fall off along with some of his cards hidden in the hat and a small hairclip. Long hair erupted and cascaded down Blair's back as soon as his hat fell off.

In short, Blair was, without a doubt, a girl.

Jaw dropped, Elize's eyes widen at the sight of Blair being a girl. Seeing how this was no time to be questioned, Blair grabbed her hat and took off, easily jumping off the balcony climbing down the tree she had previously climbed down. Of course, Elize didn't stand there doing nothing. She rushed towards the balcony, placing both hands on top of it to get to the branch.

"Hey, you!"

Elize gulped, then nervously turned around, seeing the Obelisk Blues and Zane in the room. It looks like she was caught red-handed, even though she didn't even touch any of the cards scattered on the ground.

"Hmph! It's just some stupid Slifer slacker! Typical!"

"Hey, Zane! Guess who we caught hanging out in your room!"

"Yeah, a nosy little girl who was messin' with your cards! Probably a fangirl!"

Elize winched from the hurtful comments coming from the three Obelisk Blue boys, but none of their opinions was compared to the glare Zane was giving her. His glare wasn't exactly of anger, but more of a stern and calm look. It...sorta scares her a little.

"W-well...I...Um...It's not what it looks like?" said Elize, trying to think of a good excuse. She could tell the truth, but even if they believe her, she didn't want Blair to be in huge trouble. On the other hand, if she didn't tell, she'll be the one in trouble!

Spotting a hairclip resembling the duel Monster, Happy Lover, on the ground, Zane picked it up and walked towards Elize. The Obelisk Blue boys immediantly ceased their insults, watching with interest on what Zane was about to do.

Once in close range, Zane stopped, asking in a calm voice, "Alright, who are you? What were you doing in my room?"

Although trying very hard to hide it, and failing, Elize couldn't stop shaking, feeling more anxious. Taking a deep breath, Elize decided on what to say, only stuttering a little.

"M-my name's...E-Elize. Elize Simington. I-I just wanted to look at your cards..."

Zane kept his calm composure, though he could tell something was wrong. "Why?"

"W-well, I...I just wanted to see them. Since you are one of the most strongest duelists in Duel Academy, I-I wanted to know what kind of deck you had so that I could...duel against you one day!"

Her response made the three Obelisk Blue boys quite angry, making them spit out hateful insults which tore up Blair a little from the inside.

"Cheater!"

"Bet she came to steal the deck!"

"Once a Slifer slacker, always a Slifer slacker! Now, they're probably resorting to cheating in order to get high dueling grades!"

"Stop," ordered Zane, raising a hand in order to silence his fellow Obelisk Blue classmates. As much as he was a little mad at Elize for barging in his room, no further insults were necessary for her. He disliked the discrimination of the colored dorms like his dear friend Alexis, and wanted nothing more than for them to stop.

"I'm sorry...I truly am," apologized Elize, a bit shaken up. She couldn't imagine what sort of punishment awaits her if she gets forced towards the Chancellor's Office. She'll probably be expelled, but at least she defended a friend.

"...Here."

Zane tossed Elize the hairclip he had found earlier. The first-year student was about to reply that it wasn't hers when she realized Zane wasn't quite done talking, so she kept her mouth shut.

"...You can leave now. I'll let you off with a warning. Next time, don't come back."

Elize flinched at his cold tone while the Obelisk Blue boys complained, saying they should drag her to Crowler's office immediantly. Relieved that she wasn't going to be expelled, Elize bowed her head at Zane, quickly leaving the room through a regular door and forgetting all about the hairclip she was holding.

* * *

 _That night..._

"Wow, a cold, wet dock in the middle of the night. You sure know how to show a girl a good time," said Alexis sarcastically. She was called here by Zane through her PDA, being told that he needed to talk to her near the lighthouse where they usually meet and talk in private.

"Lex, I caught a girl named Elize Simington snooping in my room today. Know her?" asked Zane.

Alexis blinked in surprise. "Elize? Yeah, I know her. She was a new student here about a month or so. What was she doing in your room?"

"Apparently, she told me that she wanted to look at my deck so that she could see what sort of cards I had. She did that so that she could duel me."

"Really? Huh?" Alexis stared down at the ocean water, deep in thought. "That doesn't sound like Elize. I know she's better than this."

Zane gave a silent nod. "Yeah, and I think she was lying. I don't know why, but the story she gave me just doesn't...seem to click in."

"If you want, I could try and talk to Elize. I'm closer to her besides Jaden and his other friends," offered Alexis.

The male duelist shook his head. "No. She'll probably just make up a lie or something. There's no point interrogating her any further until more information is found. We'll just have to leave this be for now."

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But, I trust Elize, so I don't think her true intentions for coming to your room weren't really bad. Of course, that's just my opinion."

Meanwhile, Elize and Blair had gathered at the bottom of a seaside cliff right beneath the Slifer Red dorms. After preparing for some things, Blair managed to contact Elize through her PDA and asked for a small chat at the current location they were now. Blair still had her hair hidden in her hat, though a new orange ribbon helped keep her long hair in place.

Once they met, Elize did most of the talking, since Blair refused to answer some of her obvious questions like "Why were you disguised as a guy?" or "Why were you in Zane's room?" Learning that Elize had risked her neck and told a lie to save Blair, the gender-mistaken girl felt a little guilty, but happy that Elize defended her like that.

"Listen, Elize...I appreciate you helping me out like that, but the fact that I'm a girl has to stay a secret!"

"I don't...really mind that much, but why?" asked Elize, confused. "Can I at least know why you can't-"

"No!" snapped Blair. "You don't need to know why! Nobody does, you got that?!"

"O-okay! I'm sorry!"

Blair sighed, feeling awful for yelling at her like that. After all, Elize did save her from being in trouble, especially keeping her gender safe. Maybe, she might give her a chance...

"Alright! Listen up!" Blair poked Elize's shoulder to get her attention. "Let's have a friendly, fair duel! If I win, you keep quiet without me having to explain anything! But if you win, I'll answer all your questions, got it?"

"Huh? S-sure. I guess."

"Good!"

Both girls took their dueling positions once they made some distance far away from each other. Blair was determined to win, while Elize simply slipped on her duel disk without really caring much for the outcome, but wishing good luck for Blair.

"Now, let's duel!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Blair - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Alright! Get ready...to fall in love!" started Blair, drawing her card. "I play Maiden in Love!"

A young, beautiful girl wearing a puffy yellow dress with white trims appeared; her wavy long brown hair just as beautiful as her pink tinted face.

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Wow! She's pretty!" complimented Elize, a little envious of Maiden's appearance. She wished she was as beautiful as her, like many other girls. Of course, she admired her looks as well.

Blair nodded. "Thanks! But looks can be deceiving, and you'll know real soon after I end my turn!"

Aussa the Earth Charmer pushed up her glasses; a confused look on her face. _**"She lays down a weak monster but no facedowns? Something's up, so be careful, Elize."**_

"Okay, whatever you say," said Elize, drawing a card. "Okay! I summon White Magician Pikeru in Attack Mode!"

Arriving on the field, a young little girl wearing a puffy sheep-like hat and long robes held a staff, trying to keep up the pressure of the heavy-weighted staff as her pink locks bounced up and down.

White Magician Pikeru - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (1200/0)

"Aw! She's so cute! I have one in my deck too, you know!" squealed Blair.

Elize blushed, not used to comments about her Monsters. "T-thank you. Now, White Magician Pikeru! Attack Maiden in Love, please!"

Raising up her staff, White Magician Pikeru used her magic and fired a beam from the tip of her staff, blasting through Maiden in Love.

 **Blair - 3200 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"You may have broken her heart, but she lives to love another day!" shouted Blair fiercely. "See, as long as she's in Attack Mode, her special ability keeps her from being destroyed!"

That didn't pose much of a threat to Elize, but what was more shocking was what happened next.

White Magician Pikeru rushed over to Maiden in Love, offering a hand. _**"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, Maiden! Please, isn't there anything I can do to help?!"**_

"What?!" cried out Elize and some of her other duel spirits. What was White Magician Pikeru doing, assisting the opponent's Monster?

 _ **"Traitor!"**_ yelled Hiita, a red aura surrounding around her like mad.

Maiden in Love winched in pain, but placed her warm, delicate hands onto White Magician Pikeru's, making her calm down. _**"It's okay, don't worry about it."**_

"There's more!" said Blair. "Maiden in Love has another special ability! Any Monster that attacks her gets a Maiden Counter!"

Maiden in Love demonstrated her power by shooting a heart towards White Magician Pikeru, who now had a small heart stamp on the area where her heart should be.

"What's a Maiden Counter?" wondered Elize, puzzled. She knew Counters placed on specific Monsters can either assist them or activate some sort of effect that benefits the player. However, she's never encountered a Maiden Counter before.

Blair snickered, pleased at her lack of knowledge. Luckily, not many people in the world knew about Maiden Counters and how effective they could be. That leads Blair to have a huge advantage in duels, so long as the opponent doesn't have too many overpowered Monsters.

"You'll find out!~ Well, moving on!~" She sang, drawing her card. "Okay! I attach the Equip Spell card, Cupid's Kiss to my Maiden!"

A petite, child-like angel looking quite similar to Cupid popped from the card, pecking Maiden in Love on the cheek. Her cheeks flustered a little as the angel fluttered away up into the heavenly night skies.

"And now, I'll have her attack!"

 _ **"Oh, Pikeru! Come out and play!~ I just want to have a little tea party with you!~"**_ called out Maiden in Love, happily running towards the Spellcaster as she was careful not to trip on her marvelous dress.

 _ **"Huh?"**_

Noticing the Maiden in Love approaching her, White Magician Pikeru scotched out of the way, thus watching the Maiden trip and scrap her knee.

 **Blair - 2400 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 _ **"Why did you do that?!"**_ Maiden in Love was sobbing, covering her tear-stricken face with her small hands. _**"You're so mean! I thought we were beginning to feel close! I-I thought we were FRIENDS!"**_

 _ **"W-we are! I'm sorry!"**_ apologized White Magician Pikeru, sitting besides her and rubbing her back, trying to comfort her. _**"Here, what do you want me to do? I just want to remain as friends!"**_

 _ **"R-really?"**_ Glancing up as she wiped away her tears, Maiden in Love managed to calm down and pointed to Elize, slightly startled at being chosen. _**"See her? Then, attack her!"**_

 _ **"Okay!"  
**_  
"Wait, what?!"

White Magician Pikeru hummed quietly to herself, concentrating on a spell before she fired another beam from her staff. The beam was sent flying straight towards Elize, hitting her right in the shoulder area.

 **Blair - 2400 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

 _ **"Gah! What the hell do you think you're doing, Pikeru?!"**_ yelled Hiita, raising a fist. _**"Whose side are you on?!"**_

 _ **"Hmph! Maiden's, obviously!"**_ White Magician Pikeru hugged her new best friend tightly before sticking her tongue out at the Fire Charmer, enraging the already hot-tempered Spellcaster even further.

 _ **"You little twerp..."**_

"Sorry, Elize! But when Maiden takes damage from a Monster that's been hit with a Maiden Counter, the Equip Spell, Cupid's Kiss, automatically activates!" explained Blair. "And that lets me take control of your Monster! Sure it may cost me some points, but it's about to cost you a lot more!"

Elize grimaced, knowing how dire the situation was. If she were to attack, her Monster would automatically obtain a Maiden Counter, therefore, being a love slave to Maiden in Love! But if she didn't take the offensive, she'd be left wide open for direct attacks! Decisions, decisions...

"Well, now that I've taken control of your Monster, I think I'll just play a facedown card and end my turn!" finished Blair with proud confidence in her tone.

Elize nodded, drawing a card which happened to be her faithful, brotherly-like friend, Dharc the Dark Charmer. _'Dharc! But, if I attack Maiden with him, he'll fall in love too! But, if I don't do anything, he won't get a Maiden Counter, but Pikeru will easily take him out. In that case...if my plan goes well...well, I'm sorry, Pikeru!'_

Noticing Elize's hesitant look, Blair grew a little impatient. "Hmm? What's wrong? Why aren't you making your move?"

"Oh! It's nothing, Blair. I'm sorry. Now, I summon Dharc the Dark Charmer in Attack Mode!"

A handsome, young male mage made his arrival, having dark hair and charming eyes as dark as the blackness of night. The cloak he wore contains part of his mysterious presence, but reveals a bit of his dark side with his skull-like scepter.

Dharc the Dark Charmer - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Wow! What a hunk!" gasped Blair with gleaming eyes. "Too bad, though! I don't go for weak guys! Especially one with low Attack Points!"

Lyna, who appeared next to Elize, crossed her arms, seething in anger. Her trembling form and red face was evident of that fact. Dharc and Elize sweatdropped, stepping back a little out of fear. Lyna rarely got angry, but whenever she did, everyone steered clear of her direction, even Hiita, who's usually the more hot-tempered one.

 _ **"Elize. Show no mercy."**_

"W-what? But-"

Wide-eyed, Dharc turned to Elize, nodding frantically. _**"Elize, for everyone's sake, just do what she says!"**_ He just wanted to get this duel over with! Last time Lyna acted like this, half a building was _annihilated._ Of course, this happened in the Duel Spirit World, not in the human world.

"Um...Watch out, because I'm activating a Spell, Shield Attack!" said Elize, trying to sound threatening, only to fail miserably. "I'll equip it to Dharc, and his Attack and Defense Points are switched!"

Dharc the Dark Charmer - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (1500/500)

"I'm sorry, Pikeru! I hope you'll forgive me after this!" cried out Elize, facing White Magician Pikeru, who gave no response. "Gh-!...Dharc, please attack her!"

Dharc nodded, feeling only a little remorse for his young apprentice mage friend. He raised his scepter towards the air; a dark orb slowly forming at the tip of the scepter. Once completed, Dharc let the dark orb loose towards White Magician Pikeru.

"I don't think so! I use Defense Maiden!" yelled Blair. "It redirects Dharc's attack, so that the Maiden in Love gets hit instead of Pikeru!"

With fierce determination to protect her friend, Maiden in Love stood in front of her, shielding her with her body and staring at the upcoming dark orb head on like it was nothing. She screamed in pain while the dark orb took its toll on her, inflicting pain on her body once it made contact with her.

 **Blair - 1300 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

 _ **"Hehehehehehehe..."**_ Lyna was chuckling lowly to herself, wearing a sinister smile on her face as she enjoyed Maiden in Love's painful shrieks and the look of pain on her face.

Elize clinged onto Dharc's cloak from behind; both deathly scared of the usually friendly Light Charmer. "Dharc...? I don't mean to sound rude...but Lyna's scaring me..."

Dharc sighed, patting Elize on the head reassuringly. _**"She...tends to be like that, sometimes. It's...a natural way of women growing up. But! But it only happens to a few, peculiar women. I'm sure nothing like that will happen to you, Elize."**_

The Slifer Red girl nodded, turning to Blair. "So, um...I guess Maiden in Love's special ability kicks in?"

"That's right! And since your Dharc attacked my Maiden in Love, he gets a Maiden Counter!"

Elize cringed, her cheeks reddening before she covered her tomato-colored cheeks with her hands. Unfortunately for her, Lyna's behavior seemed to worsen, sincer she was practically hissing at Maiden in Love, snarling like an angry cat who had gotten wet.

White Magician Pikeru kneeled down besides Maiden in Love, comforting the harmed girl. Angrily, she swiftly turned her attention to Dharc with confusion and rage.

 _ **"How could you do that, you bully?! Maiden's done nothing wrong to you, and yet, you used your magic to hurt her! I can't believe you!"**_

Dharc's face fell with guilt and regret before he walked towards Maiden in Love, kneeling down and holding her hands with his.

 _ **"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please, forgive me."**_

If Lyna was on the field, she would have mercilessly thrashed Maiden in Love with her staff and magic, Battle Phase or not. She clutched her staff so tightly, her knuckles slowly began turning white in color and aching due to the amount of pressure she was squeezing onto the staff.

 _ **"Forgive you?"**_ Maiden in Love looked up at the Dark Charmer, interest shown in her eyes. _**"Well, maybe you can repay me back a little later.~"**_

Dharc's heart beated like an earthquake as he tried containing a sigh of joy. His eyes shined with happiness while a Maiden Counter was shown on his chest.

 _ **"Yes, my dear..."**_

 _ **"WHAT?!"**_ Lyna's left eye twitched uncontrollably; her grip tightening on her staff so much, the wood might leave traces of her fingerprints.

"L-Lyna! Please, calm down!" whispered Elize before looking back at her hand. "I think I'll place a card facedown and end!"

"Alright!" Blair drew a card and smiled. "First off, I think I'll activate Pikeru's ability! For each Monster on my side of the field, I gain 400 Life Points each! And I've got two, so 800 Life Points for me!"

 **Blair - 2100 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"And now, I play the Equip Spell, Bracer of Power! This increases my Maiden's Attack Points by 500! Now, she attacks!"

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (900/300)

The young maiden ran towards Dharc, but accidentally tripped when his feet sticked out, thus allowing her to fall facedown on the ground.

 **Blair - 1500 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

 _ **"Dharc! How could you?!"**_ sobbed Maiden in Love, heartbroken. **_"I thought you wouldn't hurt me anymore!"_**

Dharc bent down, trying to comfort his maiden. _**"I'm truly sorry! I never meant to harm you! Truly! I'll do anything, even if it costs me my life!"**_

 _ **"A-anything?"**_ With the help of Dharc, Maiden in Love stood up, looking at Elize. _**"Well, could you attack that mean girl, please?"**_

 _ **"Okay!"**_ Closing his eyes in concentration, Dharc fired a dark energy beam from his staff, hitting Elize who yelped from the attack.

 **Blair - 1500 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

 _ **"Pikeru! Can you do a good friend a favor and attack her, too?"**_ cooed Maiden in Love.

 _ **"Sure!"**_ A white ball of light was thrown at Elize's direction, hitting her in the stomach.

 **Blair - 1500 LP**

 **Elize - 100 LP**

Blair threw off her hat and untied the bandanna that held her long hair up, seeing no need to hold it in considering there was nobody else around to witness she was a girl. She felt a whole lot better. feeling the cool breeze as her hair flowed with the wind.

"Ahh! Much better! I end my turn!"

 _ **"Send me next! Me!"**_ demanded Lyna, looking at Elize with malice printed in her eyes.

The duelist panicked after drawing a card, which so happened to be Lyna the Light Charmer. This was bad! If she sent Lyna out, who knows what she'll do, even if she's bound to defend or attack! On the other hand, if Elize doesn't send her out, she'll be completely defenceless!

Elize looked at the four cards in her hand. Well, she did have another Monster, but she's not strong enough to go up against any of Blair's Monsters! But, then again...

 _ **"Elize! Send me out! NOW!"**_ Lyna growled, losing her patience before shaking Elize by the shoulders. Elize was getting more and more frightened by Lyna. This wasn't the sweet and friendly Lyna she knew!

 _ **"Lyna! LYNA! Quit it!"**_ Aussa shoved Lyna away, stepping in front of Elize. _**"Would you knock it off?! You screaming at Elize isn't going to help matters! Just look at her, for crying out loud!"**_

Lyna turned to Elize, who was checking out her cards and trying to devise a good strategy. She caught Lyna staring at her, causing the girl to be scared, trembling like a leaf.

Feeling awful and ashamed, Lyna's anger and jealously quickly ceased. How could she scare her friend like that? No wonder Elize seemed hesitant in summoning her. The Light Charmer probably wouldn't even blame her if she didn't summon her.

 _ **"Elize...I..."**_

 _ **"Let's just go!"**_ shouted Aussa, yanking on her sleeve. _**"I think you've already caused enough trouble for today!"**_

 _ **"..."**_  
Nodding, Lyna followed after Aussa, sending one last sad glance to Elize before disappearing back ino the Duel Spirit World.

Focused on the duel, Elize decided which Monster to call forth. "I play Card Ejector in Attack Mode!"

The small female magician popped onto the field, grinning as she raised her staff and prompt her purple hat on her head so that it doesn't fall off.

Card Ejector - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (400/400)

Needless to say, Card Ejector was shocked to see her two dear friends, Dharc and White Magician Pikeru, on the opposite side of the field. They seemed to be having a tea party together with the Maiden in Love, all three laughing in enjoyment. To anyone else who couldn't see Duel Spirits, it just looks like three regular Monsters standing together.

 _ **"Um...Why are Dharc and Pikeru on the enemy's side, enjoying tea?"**_ wondered Card Ejector, scratching her head.

Elize sweatdropped and laughed nervously. "Um...It's a long story." She looked at Blair. "Now I play my facedown, Gift of the Mystical Elf! See, I gain Life Points times 300 for each Monster on the field! There's 4, so I get 1200 Life Points!"

 **Blair - 1500 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

"Then, I place one card facedown and end my turn!"

"This is it!" decided Blair, drawing a card. "Hope you remember Pikeru's ability, so now, instead of gaining 800 Life Points, I get 1200 Life Points due to having a third Monster on my team!"

 **Blair - 2700 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

"And now, Maiden in Love! Attack Card Ejector!"

Beaming with light, Maiden in Love kissed her hands before blowing away an air kiss, which expanded in size and headed straight for Card Ejector.

"I activate Mirror Force!" shouted Elize as Card Ejector huffed her chest out proudly.

"What?! Not that card!"

"But it is! Mirror Force reflects your Maiden's attack back towards all the Monsters you control! And since this is a card effect and not something used in battle, your Miaden in Love's special ability can't activate, so she's destroyed!"

Turning to her two controlled Monsters, Dharc and White Magician Pikeru, Elize couldn't felt but feel bad since they are about to be destroyed by her hands. _'I'm sorry for doing this to you two,'_ she thought unhappily. _'I hope you can understand later.'_

The huge heart exploded in three minature hearts as soon as a dome-like barried shielded Card Ejector, protecting her. The three hearts flew straight at Dharc, White Magician Pikeru, and at last, Maiden in Love. All three cried out in pain before shattering into pieces.

Blair grunted, upset of the tides being turned. She thought, _'This is bad! I have no Monsters on the field! Oh, wait! I have Monster Reincarnation! All I have to do is discard one card from my hand, then I can target 1 Monster from my Graveyard back to my hand! Then, I can summon Maiden in Love, and this'll be back where we started!'_

"Oh! I almost forgot!" gasped Elize. "I activate Card Ejector's special ability! Once per turn, she can remove one card in your Graveyard from the game! And I choose Maiden in Love!"

"No! I need her!" cried out Blair, her Graveyard slot glowing before the Maiden in Love card slid out, waiting to be put away. Gritting her teeth, Blair was forced to put her favorite Monster in her back pocket, where all removed Monsters had to go.

 _ **"Yay! We did it!"**_ Having accomplished her goal, Card Ejector twirled her staff before placing it on her shoulder; her tongue sticking out teasingly.

"Fine! I'll play my Scapegoat card! This causes me to have four Scapegoat Tokens on my side in Defense Mode!" told Blair. "Then, I play one card facedown and end my turn!"

Four small and fragile sheep-like Monsters appeared on the field in a row. Each of them were of different colors, and provided some good defense even though they could easily be wiped out.

Elize drew her card, now knowing what her next move is. "I play Graceful Charity, letting me draw three cards, but discard two in the end! One of the two I just discarded was a Monster, so I'll rescue her from the Graveyard using Monster Reborn! I'll play her facedown in Defense Mode and switch Card Ejector to Defense as well! Then, I place one card facedown and end!"

"My draw!" said Blair. "First, I'll play Token Thanksgiving! This card lets me destroy all four of my Tokens! Then, I gain Life Points equal to the number of destroyed Tokens times 800!"

 **Blair - 5900 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

"But then, you'll have no defense left!" reminded Elize.

"That's where you're wrong! I play Injection Fairy Lily in Attack Mode!"

An attractive, female pink-haired girl wearing some nurse uniform with wings sat on a gigantic tranquilizer, winking cutely at Elize.

Injection Fairy Lily - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (400/1500)

"I'll end my turn now." Blair thought, _'I don't know what her facedown Monster is, or even her facedown card. But if she tries attacking, I'll just activate my Lily's special effect! I didn't attack because of her facedown, but if she attacks me, I doubt her facedown will do anything.'_

Elize drew her card and said, "Okay! I Flip Summon my Monster into Attack Mode!"

Emerging with fire in her hands, Fire Sorcerer glared coldly at Injection Fairy Lily, who flinched at her ice-cold gaze.

Fire Sorcerer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1500)

"Fire Sorcerer's special ability activates! When she's Flip Summoned-"

"I know all about her Flip effect!" interrupted Blair. "So, I activate my facedown, Royal Command! This is a continuous Trap that negates all Flip Monsters effects as long as Royal Command is on the field! I knew that you might have some Flip effect Monsters in your Deck ever since I saw your Dark Charmer, so I prepared myself with this card just in case!"

Elize gulped; she was good! "Even so, Fire Sorcerer still can be summoned! Fire Sorcerer! Attack Injection Fairy Lily, please!"

Fire Sorcerer raised her palms to the air; fire swirling around her fingertips. She closed her eyes, focusing on concentration as she moved her body around in a sort of wave motion. She then fired a spiral flame-like tornado at Injection Fairy Lily.

"I activate Fairy Lily's effect!" said Blair. "See, after I sacrifice 2000 Life Points, I can give Lily a boost of 3000 extra Attack points for this battle only!"

Injection Fairy Lily - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (3400/1500)

"It's over!" yelled Blair, full of determination as Injection Fairy Lily breezed across the battlefield, ready to inject her needle on her new patient.

Desperate to save Fire Sorcerer, Elize said, "I reveal my facedown, Magic Cylinder! This not only negates your Monster's attack, but now, Lily attacks you directly!"

"Gah! No way!" cried out Blair.

Due to the Trap's effect, Injection Fairy Lily screeched to a halt, the tip of her tranquilizer nearly injecting Fire Sorcerer. She turned around and plunged her weapon onto Blair, an apologetic look on her face as she was forced to attack her owner.

 **Blair - 2500 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

 _'Note to self; be very careful with her facedowns!'_ Blair thought. "Don't think this is over just yet! I'll just play Little Fairy in Defense Mode and end my turn with a facedown!"

A tiny little fairy with crazed pink hair brandishing a wand fluttered on the field, giggling mischeviously.

Little Fairy - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV3 - (800/800)

"Draw!" spoke up Elize, thinking she might have a chance. "Good! I play Fairy's Gift to the field in Attack Mode!"

A pocket-sized green fairy bounced on the field, looking serious as she held her wand like a weapon.

Fairy's Gift - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 -(1400/1000)

"Now, Fire Sorcerer! Please, take out her Little Fairy!"

Placing a hand on her hip, Fire Sorcerer threw a fireball at Little Fairy with one arm, yawning in boredom. Little Fairy shrieked as she was being burned alive before fritting away in ashes.

"And now, Fairy's Gift! Can you attack Blair directly, please?"

The Spellcaster-type fairy nodded before swirling her wand above her head. Small sparkling stars glittered out of the wand and sprinkled onto Blair. Although the stars did no harm to Blair, it did take a massive chunk out of her Life Points.

 **Blair - 1100 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

"I'll place one card facedown and end," finished Elize, sighing in relief. So far, so good. If she kept this up, there would be indeed a chance of victory.

"My turn! Draw!" Blair smirked, thinking she obtained the right card. "Here's my guardian angel! Shining Angel!"

His golden wings spreading as feathers drifted to the ground, a male angel showed himself, crossing his arms.

Shining Angel - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV4 - (1400/800)

"Attack Fire Sorcerer, Shining Angel! Give it all you've got!"

The angel flew up in the air, forming a small ball of light before throwing it harshly at Fire Sorcerer, who screamed in pain.

 **Blair - 1100 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

"You activated my Trap, Backfire!" said Elize. "Since you sent my Fire Sorcerer to the Graveyard, and since she's a Fire Monster, you lose 500 Life Points!"

"Wait, what-"

 **BOOM!** At that moment, fires exploded right in front of Blair, knocking her to the ground due to the heavy impact. She was lucky those explosives were just holograms; otherwise, she'd be dead!

 **Blair - 600 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

"U-um...are you okay?" Elize asked, concerned as she took a step forward.

"Y-yeah...But next turn, your Card Ejector's next!" promised Blair; fire blazing in her eyes.

Elize gulped, as did her Card Ejector; both scared from her threat. "Wait, what did my Card Ejector ever do to you?"

"You made her remove my most favorite Monster, Maiden in Love!"

"O-Oh yeah...Right...Well, it's my draw!" Elize was astonished, not expecting to get the exact card she needed. "Okay...I guess I'll play Change of Heart, which lets me control your Monster until the End Phase."

"Wait, what?!"

Shocked, Blair watched as her Shining Angel flew over to Elize's side. Now, she had no Monsters, and her facedown's completely useless! If Elize attacks her directly, she'll be finished!

Card Ejector performed a small dance of joy. Now, she won't have to be eliminated by Shining Angel! This duel will be over before anyone knows it!

 _ **"Yay! Yay! Ha! Take that, Blairie! I won't be destroyed!"**_

Elize sweatdropped, trying to calm down her Duel Spirit friend. "Card Ejector...I know you're happy, but you don't need to brag." Turning to Shining Angel, Elize gave him a small, reassured smile. "I'm...sorry for taking you from your owner, Shining Angel. Don't worry, this'll be over in a second."

Shining Angel nodded, having no qualms about her decision. He didn't seem to mind whoever was controlling him, so long as it wasn't an evil person. So far, both duelists had good souls, so either one was fine to control him.

"Shining Angel, please attack Blair!"

The male angel merely threw another ball of light from his hands, hitting Blair and thus destroying the rest of her remaining Life Points. Yelling from the impact, Blair collapsed on her knees, utterly defeated.

 **Blair - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

"W-whoa...I actually won," breathed Elize, who was surprised herself. She strolled towards Blair, offering a hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I guess so." Blair didn't seem too happy about her own loss, but gratefully accepted Elize's hand and stood up. "I guess I have to tell you my secrets, huh?"

"Actually, you don't really have to," Elize said, shaking her head. "I didn't really care much for the deal, so you don't have to tell me anything."

Blair shook her head. "No, I actually want to. You deserve to know. After all, I did lose."

"Um...Okay then. If you really want me to." Elize nodded, and got right to the point. "So, why hide your gender? What's wrong with being a girl?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I like being a girl," replied Blair, picking up the ribbon and hat she had thrown off earlier. "It's just...Well, there's only one reason why I came to this island, and it wasn't for dueling. It was for Zane."

"Zane? The strong duelist in Duel Academy? And whose room you-"

Elize's face blazed before her eyes took a sudden interest on the ground. Reminiscing the event that happened not so long ago, Elize was embarrassed oh being in a boy's room. It was almost like watching a boy changing!

"...Yeah, the room I invaded in," admitted Blair awkwardly. "Uh...Sorry you had to go take the blame."

She nodded, wanting to skip the topic. "Y-yeah...Can I ask another question? If you came here for Zane, why did you break into his room? Couldn't you have talked to him without really breaking into his room?"

"Well...It's not that sort of situation," Blair tried to explain while she was blushing. "It's just...Well, I'm in love with Zane!"

"L-love?!"

"Yes! It's true!" Blair had a lovesick look on her face as she clasped her hands together. "We met at the nationals where Zane was declared the winner! He told me to get stronger, so I did! And I'm in love with him!"

"That's...actually great. I'm happy for you, I guess," encouraged Elize, clapping a little to cheer her on. "But, I'm sorry. I don't know any love advice. In fact, I've never really fallen in love before."

"Oh, that's okay! I already know all I need to know about love anyways! But...since Zane's room was already broken in by yours truly, I think he'll definitely keep a closer look out for any trespassers."

"O-oh! Speaking of..." Elize wanted to ask a question, but her blush indicated she was a little embarrassed to talk about it. "W-well, if you don't mind me asking, but why did you...rub cards against your cheek back in his room?"

"I-I just...I..." Great, not only did Elize saw Blair do that, but Elize might think Blair is a freak! "I just wanted to, okay, Elize?!"

"But...that doesn't really answer my question...Oh, whatever! Can you at least tell me how disguising yourself as a boy will help get Zane's attention?"

"Well, maybe not his attention, exactly," replied Blair. "Look, if I tell you, will you promise to keep it a secret? It's nothing harmful, I promise!"

Elize nodded, seeing how there was no harm in keeping a simple promise; whatever promise Blair was going to force her to keep.

"Alright...Well, to tell you the truth, I'm actually 11 years old."

"Then, you're two years younger than me!"

"Wow, really?" Blair blinked. "Anyways, it's true. Because of me being underage, I'm not allowed as a student at Duel Academy. But, I'll be graduating Elementary very soon! And when that happens, I'm joining Duel Academy! But, I grew impatient and wanted to see Zane more than ever! Besides, I ran away from home and disguised my gender so my parents wouldn't track me all the way here!"

"You ran away?! Blair, I don't think it was really smart for you to do that!" exclaimed Elize, shocked.

"Oh, hush! Remember, you promised to keep my secret a secret! Don't worry! I plan to return later, once I'm done with business!"

"What kind of business?"

"Well, it'll take a while for me to transfer up to Ra Yellow because of my sudden arrival here," interpreted Blair. "Like, a couple weeks later or so. I want to make it all the way to Obelisk Blue! Of course, I'll take you with me!"

Elize shook her head. "No, I'd rather stay in Slifer Red. Sure, it's the lowest dorm, but I actually enjoy it there. Besides, not to sound rude, but a lot of the Obelisk Blues are...kinda bullies."

Blair couldn't agree more. "Yeah, I know! One of them 'accidentally' poured chocolate milk on my jacket! Ugh!"

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Of course, I did get my revenge by sneaking a worm in his shirt." Blair wore a sinister grin on her face, proud of her accomplishment. "But yeah, after I get promoted to Obelisk Blue and confess to Zane, I'm pretty sure he'll report that I'm a girl. If that happens, well, I'll probably be sent back to my parents."

"You sound...happy?" wondered Elize.

"Well, I'm not going to be if I'm exposed, but if it means confessing to Zane before I leave, it'll be something off my chest! So, I'm begging you not to tell anyone about me until I confess to Zane, okay? Then you can report to me or whatever!"

"O-Okay...?" Well, as long as Blair knew the risks of her actions and apologized to Elize, it would be okay if she stayed for a little bit.

"Great!" Blair smiled and took Elize's hand. "Now, let's go get some dinner!"

"Actually, I think dinner ended like half an hour ago."

"What?!"

"But, I do have a few snacks we could share."

"Sweet!"

"Oh, I remember. Here's your hairpin." Elize took the hairpin she had been given to by Zane and placed it in Blair's hands.

Blair squealed; seeing her favorite hairpin again. "Thank you so much! I was looking everywhere for this! Now, come on!" She grabbed her new friend's hand and lead her back to their room, where a new relationship kindled between the two.

* * *

 **Heya, guys! Nice chapter, huh? I'll try and update as much as I can, but for now, this is the best I can muster up! Looks like Blair's staying for a while! Read and review!**


	5. To Recognize One's Skill

**Ladies and gentlemen! Here's the new chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Ahhh! That was a nice shower!" wheezed Blair, stepping out of the bathroom with a drenched towel settled on her shoulders. Her long, dark blue hair was nearly dried, her cheeks were flustered with a rosy color, and her body revealed a pleasant scent that filled the room.

Elize was busy finishing up the rest of her homework; writing down the last of her sentences. She took a sniff at the air and smiled. Blair's perfumes always did have a certain hint in them, and right now, this particular perfume helped calm her down.

"I like your perfume, Blair," said Elize politely as she closed her textbook.

"Thanks! It's called Fleur De Tranquility! I don't mean to brag, but it's a really expensive and strong perfume brought from my birthday," giggled Blair, also loving the smell of her perfume. "Oh, and thanks for fixing my hair dryer! I didn't know you were so good with mechanics!"

Blushing at the compliment, or rather at the steam coming from the bathroom, Elize glanced down at her lap and twiddled her fingers. "W-well, I'm not _that_ good. I only have a low skill with them."

"No way! I'd say you have a...average skill! Yeah! That's best!" Blair said, snapping her fingers to gain her roommate's attention. "But still, thanks for fixing my hair dryer!"

The girl nodded before placing her papers together and putting them away in a folder. It's been one week since Blair arrived and revealed her secret to Elize. Both helped each other in improving their dueling skills so that they could become better. So far, it's been going well, but quite not enough to make it to Obelisk Blue, seeing how they lost to some Obelisk Blues a few days ago.

Elize took out her deck and started looking at her cards one by one with a sigh. The last time she dueled, it was a Tag Team duel; her first one. Her and Blair vs a few Obelisk Blues. Because of Blair's low-leveled Maiden in Love's low Attack Points, Elize's refusal to sacrifice any Monsters, and how both of them didn't know much about Tag Team duels, the two girls lost the duel within a few turns. At the very least, they tried their best.

The worst part wasn't the mocking or ridicule from the winning Obelisk Blues, but rather, how Blair felt about the outcome. Elize felt that she wasn't a very good partner for Blair, and that she was only slowing her down. Even so, Elize always tries her best in duels, and she knows Blair does the same as well.

In truth, Elize doesn't know why she's even helping Blair instead of turning her in and letting her concerned parents pick her up. Maybe it was out of the kindness of her heart? Whatever case was, Elize didn't want Blair to leave, at least not until she's in Obelisk Blue and confesses to Zane.

Speaking of Zane, Elize has been trying to avoid him ever since the break-in incident, thinking he might still be mad at her for kinda breaking in his room. She was relieved that he didn't turn her in, but she knew they weren't exactly in good terms. Blair already promised her she wouldn't do something as reckless like that ever again, but that still didn't change the fact that the incident already occurred.

"...Elize! Hey, Elize! Wakie wakie!"

"H-huh?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, the first thing Elize noticed was one of her cards waving in front of her. Looking up, she saw Blair had ahold of her card, shaking it to get her attention.

"Elize, I was trying to tell you that you dropped your card! Man, you really are out of it, aren't ya?" teased Blair, though holding a bit of concern for her friend as she handed the card back. "And, was that a Fusion card? Awesome!"

"Y-yeah, I guess so." Elize placed her card back in her Extra deck so that she doesn't misplace it.

"Hey, how long did you have that card anyways? That would have been crazy useful back against those nasty Obelisk Blues!" commented Blair, sitting down and combing her hair with a brush.

"Yeah, but...I don't...have a Polymerization card to begin with," said Elize before muttering something low. "And, I don't like sacrificing my Monsters too."

"That's no good! Here, take mine!" Blair pulled out her deck from her bag and took out a Polymerization card. "I bought a card pack today and this came out. I don't really have any Monsters to fuse, and I was gonna trade it for something anyways, so here."

"N-no! I couldn't!"

"Aww, come on! Just take it! Consider it thanks for fixing my hair dryer! I insist!"

"W-well...okay."

While the two Slifer Red girls chatted, Elize and Blair's duel spirits were having conversations with each other, though outside of the dorm room. They were a little down from the previous duels that their owners lost and felt like they weren't strong enough themselves.

 _ **"Man! How I wish I could just go up to those Obelisk scum and...and...torch them!"**_ snarled Hiita, clenching her shaky fists at her sides. _**"Yeah! That'll teach them a lesson from messing with Elly!"**_

 _ **"And Blair,"**_ reminded Aussa calmly.

 _ **"Yeah, her too! But mostly Elize!"**_

 _ **"Are you not taking this too seriously?"**_ questioned Fog King, his arms crossed. _**"Every warrior eventually loses a battle, and he learns through his mistakes and tries again until he succeeds. Do not fret simply because you think you are weak, since everything has a weakness."**_

Hiita scoffed, turning her head against from the knight. _**"Oh, you're one to talk! Every time Elize summons you, you're always in Defense Mode, with 0 Points! Face it, you always complain whenever she does that, so you're no better than us!"**_

 _ **"Hiita! That's a terrible thing to say!"**_ scolded Wynn before looking at Fog King. _**"Please don't mind her, Fog King. We're just...frustrated. Yeah, frustrated of losing."**_

 _ **"That's right. We just need to cheer up,"**_ said Maiden in Love, walking up to the uneased group. Ever since learning of her deceptive ability, some of the duel monsters were a little wary of her, wondering when she would strike. Of course, it would take a while for the others to trust her.

 _ **"Even so, Elize can't just NOT sacrifice at least one of us,"**_ spoke Aussa. _**"Eventually, the girl will have to grow up and deal with it."**_

 _ **"The way you said that was so rude and not so like you, Aussa,"**_ said Eria. _**"But you are right. She even refuses to sacrifice the Monsters me and the Charmers managed to take control of like they were her own! No wonder she keeps losing!"**_

 _ **"H-hey, no need to be mean on Elize,"**_ defended Wynn shyly. _**"I-I understand why she doesn't want to sacrifice us, and I know that she has to sooner or later."**_

 _ **"Sacrifice? Why doesn't your mistress want to sacrifice yourselves for more power?"**_ wondered Shining Angel. _**"Mistress Blair doesn't hesitate to sacrifice one of us, so why?"**_

 _ **"Unlike your mistress, ours has a kinder heart,"**_ pointed out Hiita, receiving displeased stares from everyone, especially Shining Angel and Maiden in Love. _**"Okay, maybe that was a little bit rude and uncalled for. Sorry. What I meant was, Elize is too soft-hearted and caring of us to even consider sacrificing us. We told her numerous times that she was allowed to sacrifice us, but she refused to listen every time. Hell, we don't even care if she sacrifices us to the Graveyard. Sure, there are zombies and an empty zone there, but it's not like we'll die or anything."**_

 _ **"And as a result, she rarely does win duels,"**_ said Eria, looking disappointed. _**"She doesn't even Ritual Summon or fuse us together! What's the point of even putting Mistress Doriado in her deck if she's never gonna use her?!"**_

 _ **"Hey! I'm here too, you know,"**_ pouted Doriado, placing her hands on her hips. She didn't look mad, but she was upset.

 _ **"Mistress Doriado! I'm sorry!"**_ Hiita quickly said, bowing down like the rest of her Charmer comrades.

Doriado held up a hand. _**"Peace, Hiita. You may all stand up. And yes, I know that Elize never plays me, which is...quite upsetting sometimes. Even I wish to be on the battlefield, even if it for defensive purposes."**_

 _ **"Mistress can be battle-hungry like Hiita?"**_ gasped Aussa. _**"I'll have to write that down in my journal later!"**_

 _ **"Miss Doriado? I'm still confused,"**_ said Pikeru, raising her hand. _**"I wouldn't mind if Elize sacrifices me, but doesn't she also consider our feelings if we're sacrificed or not?"**_

 _ **"Yes, that's right."**_ Doriado smiled at the little mage. _**"Elize probably thinks we'll dislike her if she does sacrifice us, since we're like family and good friends to her. She doesn't understand that we'd be willing to serve her in any way. I know that someday, not too soon, she'll have to make the sacrifice, so we'll have to wait."**_

 _ **"I guess you're right,"**_ sighed Hiita, understanding. _**"But, man! I really wanted to be fused! Fusion Summons are actually cool!"**_

 _ **"Patience, Hiita."**_

 _ **"Yes, Mistress Doriado..."**_

* * *

 _The next day..._

"A training duel?"

Elize nodded; her eyes filled with determination. "T-that's right! So, can you help me, please? I really want to help my friend improve his dueling skills!"

Right after classes were over for the day, Elize searched around campus for Alexis. She found the older girl walking towards the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm and managed to confront her at the entrance. She explained to her how she wanted her friend, Blair, to work hard on his skills but needed more training, like an expert like Alexis, therefore, Elize requested some help.

Alexis shrugged, having nothing better to do. "That's fine with me. But, can I ask you something, Elize?"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Why were you in Zane's room?"

Frozen in place, Elize couldn't stop her rosy cheeks turning red. She covered her face with her red hat after taking it off. "W-what?! What are you talking about, Alexis?!"

"Don't worry, I haven't told anyone," Alexis reassured her. "Zane told me himself since I am a close friend. Elize, did you really barge in his room? And if you did, why?"

"I..." Once again, Elize couldn't tell her about Blair; for if she did, she might get kicked out of Duel Academy. Gulping down, Elize mentally pushed herself to lie to her female friend. "I-I did it to know what sort of deck and cards Zane had! That's it! I know, I'm a horrible person! I just wanted to know because I...I wanted to challenge him someday! Yeah!"

Alexis frowned, taken a little aback by her sudden outburst. Even though she now confirmed Elize did indeed sneak into Zane's room, there was...something off. Like something else Elize didn't tell her. Or maybe she lied about something. Whatever the case was, Alexis knew Elize was truly sorry, but still, something was missing in her testimony.

"I...I'm a horrible person! A dumb, Slifer slacker! A really, ignorant, selfish person!"

"Elize, stop! It's okay now. It's okay."

Alexis gently placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, managing to calm her down a little. She kneeled down a little so they were at eye level and she grasped the girl's shaky hands in her own.

Elize let out a few deep breaths before relaxing herself. She lost control there for a while, and she felt so much guilt for trespassing that she decided to vent all her guilt into insults towards herself. She felt hurt by these insults, but at the same time, she felt better, like justice was served.

"Look, Elize. I know what you did was terrible, but if you never do it again, Zane will forget all about it." Alexis stood up, took the red hat from her hands, and placed it back on her hat. "Also, I know the real reason why you barged into his room like that."

 _'W-what?! No, that's impossible! She couldn't have known Blair's secret!'_ thought Elize, freaking out as her eyes widen. "I-I don't know what you mean!"

"Oh, yes I do! You're a fangirl of Zane, aren't you?"

 _'Uh...Okay, I think that'll work.'_ Elize sweatdropped and sighed, nodding her head a little. "I...do have a small crush on him?" That was a lie, of course, considering that Elize is too young for the senior.

Alexis frowned, sensing the questioning and hesitant tone Elize presented. Shrugging the thought off, the older girl smiled. "Well, let's just go and find your friend. Blair, right? You know where he is?"

"Um...I think he's back at the Slifer Red dorms. I can lead the way, if you want."

"Sure."

A few minutes later, both girls spotted Blair and Jaden sitting on the staircase of the Slifer Red dorms, examining their decks. Jaden seemed to be pleading and begging Blair about something, even using the puppy dog eyes trick.

"Pleeeaase? I wanna trade this for your Happy Marriage!"

"No! I need it to boost up my Monsters! Can't you ask for a different card?!"

"But the only card I wanna trade with is for Happy Marriage! Please? How about for Elemental Burst?"

"NO!"

"Ahem! Hello, guys!"

Blair and Jaden glanced up from their cards, seeing Elize standing right behind Alexis. Both wondered why Alexis was here. Sure, Elize had a good reason because she was a Slifer Red, but what business did Alexis, an Obelisk Blue, have here?

"Oh! Hey, Lex! Nice meeting ya here! You too, Elize!" welcomed Jaden, waving his hand.

Being quite timid as she is, Elize hid behind Alexis, nervously waving back. "H-hello, Jaden. And you too, Blair. Um...me and Alexis have something important to tell Blair."

Alexis turned to Blair, smiling at her. "Hi, I'm Alexis. Elize told me that you needed some help improving your dueling skills and she asked me to help you. So, what do you say? Ready for a training duel?"

Instantly, Jaden shot up from his seat with an energetic look in his face. "Ooh! A training duel?! Sounds like fun! Can I join in? Can I? Can I? Can I? Can I?"

Alexis chuckled, knowing Jaden wouldn't dare refuse a duel, which gave her a bright idea. "How about this? We'll make this a Tag Team duel, so that everyone has a fair chance and can compete against one another."

"There's...a sort of problem with that one," spoke up Elize. "Me and Blair had a Tag Team duel against some Obelisk Blues once, and because we didn't know the rules, we ended up messing up and losing. Can you please explain the rules?"

"No problem. I'll explain it during our practice training. Ask any questions during the duel."

"Hold on. I gotta talk to Elize for a second," said Blair, grabbing onto the girl's hand. Confused, both Jaden and Alexis watched as the gender-mistaken girl dragged Elize over to a tree to talk privately.

"What's wrong, Blair?"

"Look, I gotta know something." Eerie, Blair gave a quick glance at Jaden and Alexis before turning back to Elize. "Did you...you know, tell my secret to Alexis?" She gulped, hoping she said no.

"What? No! Of course not! I already promised not to until you did...you know."

Seeing no reason for Elize to lie, Blair finally let out the breath she was holding in. "Okay, but what's with the whole training thing?"

Elize looked a bit nervous. "W-well, I told Alexis that...you might need to improve your dueling skills. I mean, if you want to confess to Zane, you need to go up to Obelisk Blue, right? That means you have to pass Ra Yellow and be an extremely good duelist to be promoted to Blue. Isn't that right?"

Thinking to herself, Blair had to admit that her friend was correct on the facts. If she needed to confess to Zane, she had to prove her love to him by becoming as strong as him. But first, she needed to get out of Slifer Red and promoted from Ra Yellow first before joining the same ranks as her beloved Zane.

Nodding in agreement, Blair conceded. "Alright then. A practice duel it is. Maybe you are right, Elize. Maybe we both need some practice. I don't mean to be mean or anything, but you pretty much suck a lot, like me."

"Thanks, I...I guess?" acknowledged Elize, sweatdropping. "Anyways, we should hurry back before Alexis and Jaden figures that something's up."

"Got it."

Jaden and Alexis had been talking amongst themselves and shuffling their own decks when they noticed the two young Slifer Red girls returning. "Oh? Finished matters already? That's good. So, how should we partner up?" asked Alexis.

"I want to be partners with Alexis!" blurted out Elize before shrinking back and hiding her face behind her red hat. "I-I mean, if you're all okay with it, I mean."

"Sure. No problems here," said Jaden, grinning as he laid an arm around a flustered Blair's shoulders. "Besides, I want to test out Happy Marriage!"

"Damn it, Jaden! I'm not trading you for that card!"

"But I wanna use it! At least once!"

"No!"

Alexis placed a hand over her forehead, experiencing a major headache coming her way. "Look, we all agreed that Elize would be my partner. That means you guys are stuck with each other, like it or not."

"Yes!"

"Awwww!"

"Now then, let's begin!" Alexis was quick to activate her duel disk, which her partner responded by also commiting the same action and standing right next to her.

"Yeah! Let's do this, Blair!" Jaden placed his deck in his duel disk and readied himself along with his partner.

"Alright, as long as you stop whining about not having my Happy Marriage!"

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Alexis and Elize - 8000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jaden and Blair - 8000 LP**

 _'Last time, my Life Points and Blair's were 8000, too,'_ thought Elize. _'So, in a Tag Team duel, 4000 + 4000 would make 8000, which explains the increased Life Point gauge. Now, who goes first?'_

"If you don't mind, ladies first!" said Alexis, drawing a card. "I play Polymerization and fuse together two Monsters from my hand! Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater! Come forth and create...Cyber Blader!"

Both beautiful Fusion-Material Monsters only made a short appearance before disappearing in a swirling void of blue and orange colors. A new skater rose to the stage, twirling like a ballerina before stopping; her long dark hair and red goggles revealing the mystique in the air.

Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Fusion/Warrior) - LV7 - (2100/800)

"A Fusion Monster on the first turn?!" gasped Elize, impressed and worried. "Alexis, don't you think Jaden and Blair might come up with something to counterattack? I mean, isn't it a little too soon to play her?"

Alexis simply smiled and patted her hat. "No worries. I know what I'm doing. I place one card facedown and end my turn."

"Ooh! Ooh! Me! My draw!" Gaining a card, Jaden smirked. "Now I fuse together Avian and Burstinatrix with Polymerization to create my favorite HERO! Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!"

The one-winged beast tyrant roared and gave a grunt as he landed down besides Jaden, serving by his side. Both Monsters stared down at each other, locked in a stalemate once more.

Elemental HERO Flame Wingman - (WIND/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

"Haha! Now our Monsters are both equally matched!" said Jaden, staring at Alexis. "I'll end my turn now."

Alexis nudged Elize lightly. "Elize, your move."

"H-huh? I thought it was Blair's turn."

Shaking his head, Jaden tried to correct her. "Not really. You see, in a Tag Team duel, well, let's say there are four people. Person A goes first. After he goes, then the person on the opponent's side, in this case, Person J, goes next. Then, after him, it switches to Person A's partner, Person E. After Person E, it's back to Person J's partner, Person B."

"O-okay?" Elize was a little dizzy from his explanation, but she managed to get the major point of it. "But, why doesn't Person E go after Person A? They are partners, aren't they?"

"True, but wouldn't it be fair if the other opponent got a chance to start their turn too?" told Alexis. "If they didn't, then on the first turn, Person A or E could end up with a One Turn Kill and it wouldn't be fun if the duel ended like that."

"I think I get it now. And I think now is the good time to draw!" After drawing, Elize decided some defense was in order. "I place a Monster facedown and set two cards facedown."

"Then, it's my go!" Drawing a card, Blair decided on what to choose. "Okay! Now, I play Maiden in Love in Attack Mode!"

Clasping her hands together in front of her, the beautiful mistress of love appeared, winking at Jaden. Like always, she was as beautiful as her title card, bowing her head in respect and fixing the bow in her hair.

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"And next, I equip her with Cupid's Kiss and now, I'll have her attack Cyber Blader!"

Seeing her Monster not moving a single inch, Blair tilted her head in confusion. "Huh? What happened? Why isn't Maiden doing anything?"

"Blair, you can't attack on your first turn. On everyone's first turn in a Tag Team duel, nobody can attack," explained Alexis. "What happened in your last Tag Team duel in the first turn?"

"Well, everyone choose their Monsters in Defense Mode. I guess that explains why Jaden didn't attack Elize's facedown Monster. Well, if I can't attack, then I'll just place a card facedown and end."

"My turn!" Alexis drew her card and nodded after quickly giving in some thought. "Alright, before I attack, I'll summon Cyber Tutu in Attack Mode!"

A ballerina-like Monster showed up on the field, showing off her elegant twirls before bowing her head and standing still in front of her owner.

Cyber Tutu - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/800)

"Next, I'll help her out with Allegro Toile! This card can only be activated if I normal summoned a Monster this turn! 'Cause now, I can destroy one Spell or Trap you have on your field! And I choose your suspicious-looking facedown card, Blair!"

"Oh no!" gasped Blair, watching as her facedown, Defense Maiden, dispersed.

 _'Oh, I remember that card. That card gave me trouble before,'_ Elize thought, relieved. At least she didn't have to deal with a troublesome card like that.

"Now, I'll attack Flame Wingman with my Cyber Blader!" decided Alexis.

"But why? Their Attack Points are the same. They'll both be wiped out," reminded Elize, pointing that out.

"Not exactly. Cyber Blader's special ability activates! When there's one Monster on my opponent's side of the field, she can't be destroyed in battle!"

"But there are two Monsters! My Maiden in Love and Jaden's Monster!" pointed out Blair.

Alexis nodded. "True, but in a Tag Team duel, each player has their own field. Now, attack Flame Wingman, Cyber Blader!"

Cyber Blader zoomed towards Flame Wingman at high speed before kicking at Flame Wingman's chest with so much force, it caused some heavy winds to blast around the area and knock off Elize's hat. Sensing the winds, Blair held onto her hat and managed to avoid it falling off.

"Well, at least I don't take any damage," sighed Jaden. "Thank God that his Attack Points are the same as her Monster."

"I'm not through yet! Cyber Tutu! Attack Maiden in Love!"

"Um...Alexis? I don't think that's such a good idea-"

Just as Elize was about to finish speaking, Cyber Tutu was already off; performing a somersault after jumping in the air. She landed on the ground and successfully hit Maiden in Love with her foot before backing off.

 **Alexis and Elize - 8000 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 7400 LP**

"Oh no, this is bad!" said Elize.

"Huh?" Alexis looked at her partner, confused. "What's wrong?"

"Maiden in Love's special ability, along with her Cupid's Kiss! Maiden in Love can't be destroyed so long as she's in Attack Mode! And any Monster who attacks her gets a Maiden Counter!"

"Exactly," Blair replied, nodding her head. She might as well reveal her tricks now since Elize is going to tell Alexis, anyways. "Since your Cyber Tutu has a Maiden Counter, that means if my Maiden in Love attacks while equipped with Cupid's Kiss, then she can take control of your Monster!"

Sure enough, Cyber Tutu, with a small pink heart in her chest, was kneeling in front of Maiden in Love, trying to check her injuries. Elize and Jaden sweatdropped as they watched the scene. Only they could see what was going on, given that they both could see duel monster spirits.

 _ **"Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to kick you so hard in the face! Honest!"**_ apologized Cyber Tutu, ruffling Maiden in Love's lovely hair.

Maiden in Love, who was sniffling, looked at the young ballerina. _**"R-really? Then, can I ask for your help later?"**_

 _ **"Of course!"**_

Elize turned to Alexis, regret registered in her expression. "I'm sorry! I should have warned you about her Maiden in Love! I didn't mean for this to happen!"

"It's fine, don't worry!" Alexis said, plucking up Elize's hat from the ground and putting it back on her head. "It's my fault for attacking so recklessly."

"But if she attacks Cyber Tutu, she'll gain control of her! Even worst, in a few more turns, Blair could also take control of Cyber Blader too!"

Alexis shook her head, whispering, "Don't worry. I have the perfect counter trap for that." She glanced at the other team and announced, "I end my turn!"

What Alexis had hoped for in her next draw or so was one of her favorite Spell cards, Mystical Space Typhoon. With it, she could destroy one Spell or Trap on the field just like her Allegro Toile. That way, Blair's team would not only take damage, but Maiden in Love couldn't control anyone without Cupid's Kiss.

"I'll turn things around, Blair!" promised Jaden, drawing a card since it was his turn next. "Sweet! I activate Fusion Gate! Now, any of us can Fusion summon without a Polymerization! But if we do, then the Monsters we fuse with are automatically removed from the game!"

Gulping down, Elize looked uneased as she stared at her deck. _'Polymerization...Fusion Gate...They're best cards for Fusion users. I...I know that Hiita and everyone else is anxious to see me fuse at least once, but I still don't want to remove them, much less sent them to the Graveyard!'_ she thought, undecided.

Seeing Elize anxious made Jaden quite concerned. "Hey...You alright, Elize?"

"Huh? Y-yes, I'm okay! Thank you for asking!" _'No, everyone wouldn't want me to be upset right now! I have to do my best!'_

Nodding, Jaden continued his turn. "Now, I fuse together Sparkman and Clayman to create Elemental HERO Thunder Giant!"

As soon as the giant armored Monster of thunder appeared, virtual lightning crashed onto the field for the Fusion Monster's dramatic entrance. Startled, Elize yelped and hid behind Alexis, clinging onto her arm.

Elemental HERO Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"Elize! Are you okay?" Alexis tried comforting her partner by rubbing her back. Elize refused to open her eyes and was slightly trembling, causing some worry between Jaden and Blair.

"Elize? Is it...is it that you're scared of lightning?" asked Blair, taking a step forward.

"I..."

Elize couldn't dare say, for she was embarrassed. She was hiding her face in shame, not wanting to look up. If there were Obelisk Blues around, she was sure that they'd laugh and say how cowardly she was.

"Hey, it's okay. I tend to be scared of lightning too, sometimes," assured Alexis, acting a bit motherly.

"I-I'm sorry. I'll be alright." Elize stood besides Alexis, though her legs were still trembling. "I really am sorry, Alexis!"

"It's alright. Nobody's mad at you." Alexis turned to Jaden, gesturing him to continue the duel so that Elize could forget all about what happened.

Jaden, although he was mostly clueless, managed to get the message and announced, "I activate Thunder Giant's special ability! He automatically destroys one Monster who has less Attack Points than him! Thunder Giant...Uh...just don't make any loud noises, okay?"

The giant quickly responded to his master's command before jumping into the air and stomping onto Cyber Blader's body, utterly destroying her. Luckily both Alexis's team, both of them didn't receive any damage, but the worst was yet to come.

"Now, I'll have Thunder Giant attack Cyber Tutu!"

Blair gasped, her eyes widened. "Wait, Jaden!"

Reenacting the same actions as before, Thunder Giant smashed his fist at Cyber Tutu, but not too hard. He might be a brute, but he was at least sensitive to females, especially those weaker than him in combat. Cyber Tutu yelled in pain before meeting the same fate as her previous teammate.

 **Alexis and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 7400 LP**

"Damnit, Jaden! Why did you have to do that?! I was gonna attack Cyber Tutu with my Monster, then sacrifice them both for a really strong Monster!" whined Blair, stomping her foot angrily.

"Uh...oops?" Jaden sweatdropped and held up his hands, not wanting to make his teammate upset. "But, throwing a fuss isn't going to do good either. I mean, you practically spoiled your plan to Alexis and Elize."

"I don't care about that! It's too late anyways! Gah! You spoiled my plan! You idiot!"

"Y-yeah! Right!" Wanting to end the argument, Jaden told Elize, "I end my turn! You go, Elize!"

Elize released her breath and nodded. "Okay, I think I'll be alright now. I was just a little shaken up before, but I think I'm fine." She looked up at Thunder Giant. "I'm sorry, Thunder Giant! I didn't mean to be scared like that!"

Although Blair and Alexis couldn't see it, Thunder Giant nodded firmly. Both Jaden and Elize smiled at each other while Alexis and Blair remained confused.

"My turn! Draw!" After Elize had drawn, she knew exactly what to do to turn the tables around. "Now, I activate one of my facedowns, Scroll of Bewitchment! This Magic card is an Equip Spell card, which I'll equip it to Thunder Giant! Now, I can change his Attribute one time, and I choose FIRE!"

"And why would you want to do that?" asked Jaden, relieved that his Fusion Monster wasn't going anywhere off the field.

Elemental HERO Thunder Giant - (WIND/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"Because now, I Flip Summon my facedown Monster, Hiita the Fire Charmer!"

The moment Hiita was summoned, the air felt warm for a moment like a small heatwave. Hiita stood up from kneeling down, keeping a hold of her staff while she kept a confident smirk on her face.

Hiita the Fire Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Hiita's special Flip effect activates! Now, as long as she's face-up on the field, she gets to control one FIRE Attribute Monster! And you know who I pick, Jaden!"

The FIRE Spellcaster held her staff close as she began whispering an ancient chant with full confidence in her abilities. Whatever spell she casted onto Thunder Giant worked, because he slowly started walking towards Elize's field.

Jaden looked at Thunder Giant, then back at Hiita, who grinned. "No! Not Thunder Giant! He's my second favorite Monster! NOOOO!"

Thunder Giant glared back at Jaden, unamused. While he enjoys his cheerful master's attitude, he does not like being called second-rate, so for once, he's glad to be on his master's opposite side.

"Um...I'm sorry for taking you away from your master, Thunder Giant," whispered Elize politely, walking a little closer to her new controlled Monster. Thunder Giant simply shook his head, gesturing that it was alright.

"Oh no! You're completely defenceless, Jaden!" cried out Blair, not wanting any more of their Life Points dropped. She needed those Life Points to gain control of Monsters!

"You read my mind, Blair!" said Jaden, panicking. He didn't even have a single facedown card or anything on his side of the field!

"Actually, you can protect your partner with one of your Monsters," replied Alexis to Blair. "So long as your Monster is in Attack Mode and not in Defense."

"I'm not done summoning yet! Now, I'll summon Eria the Water Charmer in Attack Mode!" said Elize.

Appearing on the field in an orderly fashion, Eria moved her long blue hair out of the way with a simple brush of her hand. She readied herself for combat, preparing to use any her of water spells.

Eria the Water Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Thunder Giant! Please attack Jaden, and don't worry! You can use your lightning attacks now!" ordered Elize kindly. She stood her ground, preparing for any lightning attacks so she can try overcoming her fear of lightning.

The Elemental HERO spiked up loads of electrical power onto his gauntlets so he could follow Elize's commands. Although, he did this slowly not only to be effective in his attacks, so that Elize could watch and slowly cease her fear. He caught a glance from Elize, who nodded for him to go, though she was still trembling a little. Letting loose a war cry, Thunder Giant sent a shockwave that headed towards Jaden.

"Gh-! Got no choice! Maiden in Love, protect Jaden!"

Giving a short nod, Maiden in Love followed Blair's instructions and ran in front of Jaden, shielding him from the electrical attack which caused her to scream loudly. Everyone was stunned by this predicament, especially Thunder Giant, who didn't want to harm the maiden.

 **Alexis and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5400 LP**

"Whew! Thanks, Blair!" said Jaden, grinning as he gave his partner a thumbs-up.

"I only did that to reduce battle damage!" Blair said, unamused. "Also, Maiden in Love can't be destroyed in battle too, so that's a huge bonus."

"Still, my Battle Phase isn't over!" reminded Elize. "I still have Eria and Hiita left! Both of you, please! Attack!"

Nodding to each other, both Elemental Charmers twisted their staffs together in perfect sync before firing their combined elemental attacks of water and fire towards Jaden. Once again, Maiden in Love defended Jaden and took the attack for herself. Thanks to Maiden in Love's effect, all of Elize's Monsters received Maiden Counters.

 **Alexis and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5200 LP**

Seeing nothing else to do, Elize said, "Okay, I end my turn."

Blair nodded, then drew her card. "Hold on! I want to check my Extra deck! Is that alright?"

"Okay, but don't take too long!" said Alexis.

Getting her Extra deck out from her pocket, Blair scrambled through her cards, hoping to find a good strategy to overcome Alexis and Elize. Just like that, one card caught her interest, and a number of combos went through her head until she came to a quick conclusion.

"Yeah! Time to deal some major damage this turn!" cheered Blair. "I'll activate one of my favorite Spell cards, Offerings to the Doomed! I have to skip my Draw Phase next turn, but in exchange, I get something sweet! Like...destroying Thunder Giant!"

Bandage-like vines wrapped themselves up around Thunder Giant from beneath the ground, dragging him down while he struggled. His last action was him frantically waving his arm as he was swallowed in the bottom pits of the earth.

"Awww! Not cool, Blair!" complained Jaden, a little upset.

"Hey, I just destroyed the strongest Monster on the field! You should be happy!" Blair frowned, then continued with her turn. "Now, I play Brain Control! By paying 800 Life Points, I can take control of one of your Monsters until the end of my turn, Elize! I choose Eria!"

 **Alexis and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 4400 LP**

Feeling the magical force of Brain Control taking her over, Eria grunted and struggled as much as she could as she was forced to enter Blair's side of the field. No, this was fine. As long as Blair didn't do anything to her, she can safely return to Elize's side on the next turn.

"Before you ask anything, I've got another trick!" said Blair, interrupting Elize. "Snatch Steal's next on my list! Now, I'll equip this card to your Hiita! Why? Because now I get to control her!"

 _ **"Damnit!"**_ shouted Hiita, trying to break free of the magic card. Even as a strong Spellcaster, she couldn't deny the rules of the game and was forced to stand next to Eria.

"What are you planning to do with the two of them?" asked Elize, concerned for the Monsters that originally belonged to her. Maybe Blair needed all those Monsters since both she and Elize were utterly defenceless.

"Hey, Jaden! Is that Fusion Gate still active?" Blair turned to Jaden, her eyes filled with hope and demand for an answer.

"Yeah, it's still there. Why?"

"Great! Now it's the perfect time to Fusion Summon!"

"WHAT?!" Everyone exclaimed, looking at Blair with shocked expressions. Fusion Summon? They all knew Alexis and Jaden, well, mostly Jaden, were experts at Fusion Summoning, but this was certainely unexpected!

Blair snickered, then announced boldly, "Now, with the power of Fusion Gate, I use Eria the Water Charmer and Hiita the Fire Charmer and fuse them together! Come on out, Syesha the Steam Charmer!"

 _ **"Crap! I wanted to be fused, but this wasn't what I had in mind!"**_ complained Hiita before she and Eria were both sucked in the swirling portal filled with a mixture of color.

A second later, a beautiful girl with shoulder length, auburn-colored hair and bright blue eyes flew onto the field, garbed in a red tunic which was covered by a dark blue cape. Her weapon of choice was a wooden staff, which had more value than it seems.

Syesha the Steam Charmer - (WATER/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (1900/1300)

"Wait, that was my card! How did it get into your Extra deck?" called Elize, refusing to think that Blair may have stolen it.

"We traded cards, remember? I think you misplaced your card or something! Don't worry, I'll give it back after the duel's done!"

Come to think of it, yesterday, they did trade cards so it was a possibility that one of Elize's Fusion Monster cards must have ended up in Blair's deck. Next time, she was going to pay extra attention to her cards so she doesn't lose them.

"Oh, sweet Fusion Monster!" gasped Jaden, his eyes glittering like stars as he stared at the beautiful Fusion Monster. "Hey, Elize! I didn't know you had such an awesome card! Why didn't you ever use it?'

"Um...It's new?"

"Liar! You told me that you had it for years!" said Blair, annoyed. "But enough about that! Time for Syesha's special ability! For every FIRE or WATER Monster on the field, including her, our Life Points increase by 500!"

 **Alexis and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5700 LP**

"And now, I'll attack with both of my Monsters! Syesha and Maiden in Love!"

Gathering up magic, Syesha then fired steam from her staff which surrounded both Alexis and Elize, depleting their Life Points. Maiden in Love was next, and she simply sent air kisses towards them, which had no effect whatsoever.

 **Alexis and Elize - 4300 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5700 LP**

"With that done, I'll end my turn!" finished Blair. "Oh, and before that, Syesha's ability activates! If she attacks this turn, she's automatically switched to Defense Mode at the end of my turn!"

"Then, it's my turn!" Alexis said, now drawing her card. "Excellent! I got the card I needed! Now, I play my facedown, Limit Reverse! I target one Monster in my Graveyard with 1000 or less Attack Points and summon her in Attack Mode! I choose Cyber Tutu!"

Spinning around gracefully, the pink-haired ballerina reappeared on the field, determined to earn her master victory in this duel.

Cyber Tutu - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/800)

 _'Her Tutu's not strong enough to beat my Fusion Monster. Is she planning to deal damage to Maiden in Love?'_ thought Blair. _'No, wait! Is she planning to sacrifice Cyber Tutu for an even stronger Monster like Cyber Blader? This is bad!'_

"Next, I play Prima Light! By sacrificing Cyber Tutu, I can now Special summon Cyber Prima from my hand!"

A much more beautiful, elegant female ballerina garbed in blue and gray colors arrived, bowing her head slightly as if she was about to perform. That is, perform a dance of victory of sheer power and beauty towards Alexis's enemies.

Cyber Prima - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV6 - (2300/1600)

"I'll place a card facedown. Now, my Cyber Prima! Attack Syesha the Steam Charmer!"

Cyber Prima nodded before taking a leap at the air, her foot extended. When she crashed back into the ground, she took down the Steam Charmer with one swift kick to the face.

 **Alexis and Elize - 4300 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5300 LP**

"Since I already placed my card facedown, I'll end my turn."

"I'll go next!" After he drew his card, Jaden knew his next move. "I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two cards! And now, I play Elemental HERO Bubbleman in Attack Mode! Oh, and if he's all alone on the field, I can draw two more cards!"

The blue armored superhero of the WATER Attribute appeared in a flash, showing off his strong water gun attached to his arm for battle.

Elemental HERO Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"I attack! Bubbleman, attack Cyber Prima!"

"EH?! But why?!" All other females in the duel exclaimed. "Bubbleman has low Attack Points!"

Jaden smirked, holding up another card in his finger tips. "That's why I'm activating the Quick-Play card, Bubble Illusion! As long as Bubbleman's on my side of the field, during this turn, I can activate a Trap from my hand! And I choose Mirror Gate!"

"Oh no! I remember that card! You used it against Chazz once!" grunted Alexis. "If both our Monsters battle each other, they switch control! Now you control Prima, and I have Bubbleman!"

"What?! Oh no! And since Bubbleman has less Attack Points, we'll receive lots of Battle Damage!" pointed out Elize, watching the two Monster duke it out. As expected, Cyber Prima took down Bubbleman with ease, which proved bad for Elize and Alexis.

 **Alexis and Elize - 2800 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5300 LP**

"I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn!" said Jaden, relieved. "Oh, and the special effect of Mirror Gate activates! Now, you get back Cyber Prima, Alexis!"

Alexis passed a glance at her beautiful Monster before taking a deep breath. At least she managed to get her Monster back, so she should be able to use her in her next turn.

"O-okay! I'm up!" Drawing a card, Elize decided to use her last facedown card right after summoning her Monster. "Alright, I summon Milla the Temporal Magician in Attack Mode!"

A female magician looking very similar to Lyna the Light Charmer arrived, fully composed and deprived of any fear or doubts. Her long, silvery-white hair shined in the sun as her golden rod glistened from the sunlight; a part of her shining beauty.

Milla the Temporal Magician - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1800/1000)

"When Milla's summoned, I can target 1 facedown card my opponent controls and look at it! And I choose the left card on your side, Jaden!" said Elize before she wheeled towards her Spellcaster Monster. "Milla, please! Activate your special ability!"

 _ **"Understood."**_

Singing a chant, Milla stood proudly while her rod glowed, which activated her magic's ability. The facedown card Elize had chosen flipped up, revealing to be Call of the Haunted. After a couple more seconds, it went back to its original position.

 _'Call of the Haunted? That card summons a Monster in Attack Mode,'_ thought Alexis before realizing Jaden's plan. _'I see! If Elize attacks Jaden, he might summon Flame Wingman! Good thing Elize choose Milla, otherwise, we'd be in trouble! The only option she has left is to fight Blair, but she has Maiden in Love, and her ability's pretty nasty too. What to do...'_

"Before I attack, I activate my facedown card, Gift of the Mystical Elf! Now me and Alexis receive Life Points 300 times the number of Monster on the field! There are three, so we get 900 Life Points!"

 **Alexis and Elize - 3700 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 5300 LP**

"Milla, please attack Maiden in Love!" ordered Elize.

Alexis's eyes widen, remembering Maiden in Love's special effect. "Eh? But her special ability-"

Nodding in understandment, Elize smiled at the older girl. "I know. But I trust you to turn things around in your next turn, okay Alexis? Even if you can't, at least we tried our best. That's what a Tag Duel is, right? Trusting your partner?"

Surprised, Alexis was left with some deep thoughts. Yes, that was true, trusting your partner is key value in a Tag Duel. Why did she now doubt Elize, her Tag Team partner? Did she not have much faith in her? Even if this was a training duel, she knew she should have more trust in Elize. Alexis felt a little ashamed for not trusting her like Elize was doing right now.

"...You're right. I'm sorry, for not giving you enough effort," apologized Alexis, acknowledging Elize's moves. "Go on ahead, finish your turn."

"Okay! You heard Alexis, Milla! Please attack with all your might!"

Listening to the comfort Elize had given to Alexis, Milla now felt more confident than ever since she was summoned. Yelling, she spun her rod and fired a blast at Maiden in Love, piercing through her chest with her light magic.

 **Alexis and Elize - 3700 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 3900 LP**

"Hope you didn't forget about Maiden's special effect, because it now activates!" shouted Blair. "She's not destroyed, and Milla gets a Maiden Counter!"

Elize sighed, her cheeks tinted pink. "I was kinda afraid of this..."

Maiden in Love was on her knees, in pain and crying out loud with tears falling down. Worried, Milla rushed over, placing her rod down while she rubbed Maiden in Love's back.

 _ **"Are you alright? I didn't mean to strike you. I'm so sorry."**_ Milla embraced Maiden in Love from behind, laying her head on her back.

 _ **"R-really? Then, can you make it up to me later? Just a quick favor, that's all I'm asking!"**_ pleaded the young girl, her eyes glistering with tears.

 _ **"Yes, definitely. I will not let you down."**_

"I have to end my turn now," sighed Elize. "Good luck on your next turn, Alexis!"

Alexis nodded and turned to Blair. "Alright, Blair! Bring it on! Remember about Offerings to the Doomed? You can't draw a card, remember?"

Blair gritted her teeth, knowing she was right. She only has one card in her hand, and it's not really appropriate for this sort of situation. "Alright! Then, I'll attack! Maiden in Love, attack Milla the Temporal Magician!"

 _ **"Oh, Milla!"**_ sang Maiden in Love, running towards the magician, only to trip and fall.

 **Alexis and Elize - 3700 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 2500 LP**

"And now, for Maiden in Love's special effect! Thanks to Cupid's Kiss, I now have control over your Monster, Elize!"

 _ **"Waaah! Waaah! M-Milla! Milla!"**_ sobbed Maiden in Love, trying to wipe away her tears.

 _ **"I'm here! What can I do to make you all better?"**_ wondered Milla, sitting besides Maiden in Love and trying to comfort her the best she could.

 _ **"P-please...Attack her!"**_ Maiden in Love targeted Elize, who gulped and prepared herself for Milla's attack. Milla nodded before firing a pillar of light magic at Elize, determined to serve Maiden in Love's wishes.

"Not so fast! I protect Elize with Cyber Prima!" announced Alexis, looking at her Monster. Cyber Prima jumped in front of Elize, blocking the light magic with her body. She then proceeded to charge towards Milla and aim for her sides with a side kick.

 **Alexis and Elize - 3700 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 2000 LP**

"I...I end my turn!" said Blair, having nothing else to defend herself with.

"Alexis! That was amazing! Thank you for protecting me!" thanked Elize excitedly before reverting her head to Cyber Prima. Cyber Prima didn't even need to hear what Elize wanted to say, for she nodded, understanding her thankfulness.

Alexis simply gave her a smile. "No problem. We are partners after all. Now, I draw! I'll play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two cards! I play Block Attack and use it on Maiden in Love!"

"That's just great!" whined Blair. "She can't be destroyed if she's in Attack Mode only! But, if she's in Defense Mode..."

"You got it! But there's more! I activate my facedown, Shield Crush! I get to destroy a Monster in Defense Mode! I choose Maiden in Love!"

The disguised girl gasped as her favorite Monster shattered like glass. Now, she was completely defenceless like Jaden was many turns ago! Hopefully, he'll use Call of the Haunted to save her butt, otherwise, they'll lose the duel!"

"I attack you, Blair! Go, Cyber Prima!" commanded Alexis.

"Not so fast! I play a Trap, Call of the Haunted!" said Jaden, defending his teammate. "With that, I'll call forth Bubbleman in Attack Mode!"

Elemental HERO Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"What good will he do? He's way weaker than Cyber Prima!" reminded Alexis. "Or, are you trying to reduce Battle Damage?"

"Even better! I activate my next facedown, Bubble Shuffle! Now, my Bubbleman and your Prima are changed into Defense Mode! But that's not all! Now, I have to sacrifice my Bubbleman to summon another Elemental HERO that's in my hand! It's the only one left, and I choose Elemental HERO Bladedge!"

The golden armored crusader emerged, fully clothed in shining hold armor while the blades on his elbows made everyone feel like they could slice through anything, even steel.

Elemental HERO Bladedge - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV7 - (2600/1800)

Alexis hissed quietly to herself and said, "I end my turn..."

"Awesome! Then it's my go!" said Jaden, drawing his card "Ooh! I got another Pot of Greed! Which, as you know, lets me draw two more cards! Now, I summon Elemental HERO Wildheart in Attack Mode!"

A beast-like warrior that looked like a tribeman arrived while holding onto his axe weapon, ready for an all-out combat experience.

Elemental HERO Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"Next, I'll equip Wildheart with his trusty weapon, Cyclone Boomerage! This increases his Attack Points by 500!"

Elemental HERO Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (2000/1600)

"Yeah! I attack Cyber Prima with Wildheart! Go for it, bud!" cheered Jaden. Wildheart took aim and threw his boomerang at Cyber Prima, who cried and yelled in pain once her arm made sharp contact with the boomerang. "And now, Bladedge! Attack!"

Grunting as a response, the golden hero flew up, then rushed downwards towards Alexis. However, Elize ran in front of Alexis with her arms out, taking the hit for her which surprised everyone. Regardless, both of them were a team, so they both took the damage.

 **Alexis and Elize - 1100 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 2000 LP**

"Elize!" Alexis kneeled down at Elize's level once she fell down. "Why did you do that?!"

"W-well, I wanted to repay you for what you and Cyber Prima did to me. Besides, we would have been damaged anyways, so I might as well have taken the fall."

"Actually, my Battle Phase isn't really done," said Jaden. "Thanks to the effect of Fusion Gate, I can fuse Wildheart and Bladedge together! Come on out, Elemental HERO Wildedge!"

Once the two Warriors fused together, a new Warrior took their place on the field. He was exactly like Wildheart, except with a few alterations. He had a golden gauntlet, golden armor that served for protection only for his lower half, and a golden helmet that seemed like it covered his eyes. Just like that, he was a reborn hero mixed with the spirit of a wild man and a golden hero.

Elemental HERO Wildedge - (EARTH/Fusion/Warrior) - LV8 - (2600/2300)

"Attack them, Wildedge!"

In a few short minutes, it was all over. Nobody knew who Wildedge attacked, but it didn't matter, because Alexis and Elize were already defenceless. With only a few Life Points left, it was clear who the winners was, and who the losers were.

 **Alexis and Elize - 0 LP**

 **Jaden and Blair - 2000 LP**

 **Winners: Jade and Blair**

"We...we lost..." Elize fell on her knees, her head lowered as she sighed in exhaustion.

Alexis merely rubbed her back. "It's alright. I had fun. Besides, at least you were about to brush up and improve your skills, even a little."

Elize glanced at Alexis, confused. "But...we lost."

"I know. But that's not what's important. It's about putting trust and faith in yourself that counts. Besides, I'm sure Jaden and Blair had loads of fun like us."

However, both the selected Slifer Reds were arguing with one another about their cards and the duel, far from what Alexis had told.

"Dude! You should have powered up Maiden in Love! I mean, controlling other Monsters is sweet and all, but I don't wanna lose more Life Points!"

"Too bad! If you would just let me take control of Cyber Tutu, I would have gotten this duel faster!"

"Come to think of it, I don't think you ever did Happy Marriage."

"Are you serious?! I'm not trading it!"

"Come on! Please?"

"No!"

Changing the subject, Alexis took Elize's hand and helped her up. "Hey, how about we go grab something to eat?"

"B-but...What about...?" Elize gestured her head towards Jaden and Elize, who were still talking amongst themselves.

"Don't worry about them. Hey, I heard that Dorothy serves the best rice balls! Maybe she's making some now! Let's go buy some before they run out!"

"O-okay!"

* * *

 **Finished! And it's all thanks to the help of Duanemaster,4fireking, StardustBoundX2, and Thunder Crush! With that done, I'm out!**

 **Oh and this is the only made up card in the entire duel!**

 **Syesha the Steam Charmer - ( WATER / Fusion/ Spellcaster ) - LV6 - (1900/1300)**

 **This card's Attribute is also treated as FIRE. You gain 500 Life Points for every Fire and/or Water Monster on the field. If this card attacks, change it to Defense Mode at the end of your turn.**

 **How's that? A defensive and healing Fusion Monster! Not too shabby, huh?**


	6. Miss Duel Academy!

**Hey, guys! I'm still gonna continue this! Hope to see ya all enjoy this story!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 _'Come on...Come on...What's taking you so long, Elize?'_ thought Blair, impatiently tapping her pencil against the desk as she glanced at the back doors, biting her lower lip nervously.

The bell had already run for the morning class, and Elize wasn't here! Gah! She must have overslept! Luckily, Crowler wasn't here yet, possibly polishing his makeup or something; the naracissistic, proud teacher!

The doors suddenly burst opened, revealing to be Jaden carrying a sleeping Elize on his back piggy-back style. He was gasping. completely red in the face from running so much. Not caring for any stares directed towards him, Jaden stumbled down the stairs as Alexis, Blair, a nd Syrus stood and rushed towards him.

"Jaden! What happened?" asked Alexis.

"Elize! You're still asleep?! Wake up! Wakie wakie!" shouted Blair, shaking her friend's shoulder.

Elize started to stir around, slowly opening her eyelids. Her first sight was the color of red; Jaden's jacket. "W-what...?" It took her a few seconds to realize the current position she was in. She squeaked and buried her red face onto Jaden's jacket.

"Hey, you're awake!" said Jaden as he took a seat besides Syrus. "By the way, Sy? Please don't tell me that we're late!"

"Actually, for once, you're not. Crowler isn't even here yet!"

Elize slid off Jaden's back before standing on her own. When she tried to face Jaden, she only hid her face with her hands out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Jaden! I didn't mean to make you carry me like that!"

"Nah, it's cool!"

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" wondered Alexis, crossing her arms.

Jaden yawned before rubbing his eyes. "Well, me and Elize were trying to run towards class, since we knew we were going to be late, when Elize collapsed! I tried to wake her up, but she was too asleep! So, I had to carry her!"

"I'm sorry again, Jaden!" apologized Elize, bowing her head.

"It's cool! I already said it's alright, so no need to worry."

Blair couldn't help but feel a bit...angry. It didn't feel like her anger was directed towards Elize's sleepiness, but rather her spending time with Jaden. Why was that? She knew it wasn't Elize's fault, but still...

"Attention, students! Take your seats!" shouted Crowler, entering the classroom through different doors. "Today, we'll be taking a pretest about the different Types of Traps, Spells, and Monsters!"

"A test?! Oh man! I didn't even study!" complained Jaden.

"Jaden...you rarely ever study..." reminded Syrus and Chumley together, sweatdropping.

"Um...Jaden? A pretest is like a...practice for a test. They won't grade you on anything if it's a pretest," explained Elize, tugging on his sleeve.

"Really? Whew! I'm safe!"

"Ahem!" They looked at Crowler, who stared up at them, impatiently tapping his foot on the ground. "If you don't mind...we're about to start the pretest, so STOP TALKING!"

"Yikes, calm down!"/ "W-we're sorry!" Jaden and Elize spoke differently at the same time, confusing a few other students as they took out their pencils and erasers.

* * *

 _Several hours later..._

"Come on! Hurry up!"

"Quit shoving! I wanna get in front!"

"Damnit, move!"

"Jeez, what's this whole assembly all about anyways?" wondered Jaden, crossing his arms. He, Syrus, Chumley, Alexis,Blair, and Bastion were way over in the back of the crowd, waiting for the rest of the people to disperse and sit down in their own seats. It was taking too long due to the fact that most of the male population were practically pushing each other to get to the front seats to see the stage.

"Didn't you read the sign?" asked Bastion, pointing to the top of the stage, which read: **Miss Duel Academy Contest.**

"So...what's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you remember that poll we all had to vote on a few days ago?" asked Syrus to his friend, Jaden.

"Yeah, so?"

"That poll was for voting which of the selected female contestants would be this year's Miss Duel Academy! In other words, the most beautiful and cutest girl on campus!"

"Oh, right. Well, I saw Elize's picture, and I clicked it."

"So, you voted for Elize too, huh?" said Alexis, indicating she herself also voted for her small friend. "Though, it's a bit strange...I don't recall Elize ever being the type to enter this sort of contest...not that I'm misjudging her or anything."

"Yeah...Ahaha..." spoke Blair, laughing nervously. She wanted to enter the contest, but if she had done that, her identity as a girl would quickly be recognized and she would have been expelled and sent home. She knew her parents had contacted Sheppard about their missing daughter and were still looking for her. Just one look at her female appearance, and it was back to home and grounded for a year.

"By the way, why didn't you enter too, Alexis?" wondered Bastion.

"There's no point. I'm not interested in something like this. I have other stuff I have to be doing."

Once every single student was seated, Chancellor Sheppard walked onto the stage, holding a microphone in his hands. **"Welcome, students to our annual Miss Duel Academy contest this year! Five young female students have been selected as potential candidates for the contest! We'll determine which one of them will be this year's Miss Duel Academy! Now, the poll results are in! I will announce the winner momentarily!"**

"Come on, Elize! Come on, Elize!" pleaded Blair and Syrus with excitement in their eyes.

 **"And now...the winner is..Third year Obelisk Blue! Miss Sana Nickolin! Counting this year, she is currently having the third-year record run of being Miss Duel Academy! A new record!"**

The crowd applauded and cheered when the light shined down onto the female Obelisk Blue, who winked at the boys and blew air kisses at them. She had auburn colored hair tied in a ponytail and light pink lipstick on, revealing her attractive looks which caused more of her fans to cheer for her.

"But of course it would be me!~" giggled Sana happily.

"Son of a bitch!" cursed Blair, slamming her fist down on her chair, causing her friends to look at her. "Oh...sorry. Just...caught up on the moment."

 **"Oh, wait! My mistake! It appears another candidate has happen to have the same number of votes as Sana Nickolin!"**

"Eh?"

"Yes! Please let it be Elize! PLEASE!" begged Syrus and Blair, who were on their knees and praying to the ceiling.

 **"The girl with the same number of votes is...Elize Simington! Now, let's-huh? Where did she go?"**

The backstage crew moved the lights all around the stage, trying to locate the first year student, only to find her missing. This caused a chain of murmurs amongst the students, making them wonder where she was.

"W-wait! I didn't sign up for this!"

Being forcibly dragged by a few students, Elize appeared, flustered as the girl made her way onto the stage. Afterwards, she was released, and seeing how the light was shown onto her body and there was no other exits, she was forced to comply.

"Wait, not to be rude or anything, but how is she voted beautiful?" said Jaden out loud.

"Maybe she got the votes for the cutest girl," suggested Bastion. "After all, this contest doesn't necessary have to be about the most beautiful girl, but the cutest too."

"Yeah...she sure is cute..." sighed Syrus blissfully.

 **"Elize? Is there anything you like to say?"** questioned Sheppard, trying to hand the shy girl the mic.

Elize refused to take the microphone and seeing so many eyes averting towards her made her feel uncomfortable. She hid her red face with her red cap, glancing down at the ground. **"U-Um...Well...Chancellor Sheppard, I didn't even volunteer for the contest! A friend signed my name up without my permission!"**

Having heard that, Alexis and the others turned to Blair, who was innocently whistling to herself. "What?"

"Well...you two do spend a lot of time together, so it's only natural for us to suspect that you had a part in this," replied Bastion.

"You have no proof it was me! Shame on you guys!"

 **"Oh? Who was this person, out of curiosity?"**

 **"I...really can't say, but she-I mean, he's a good friend, and we spend a lot of time together."**

Both Alexis and Bastion stared at Blair with annoyance until she finally caved in. "Okay, okay! So, it was me! But, I just wanted to give her a little girly experience!"

Sheppard frowned, unsure who to decide who the winner should be. **"Um...we're having some difficulties over deciding who-"**

"Hold on!" shouted Sana who was clearly upset and angry. "I say we settle the whole tie-breaker with a duel! Whoever wins gets to be Miss Duel Academy! How about that, Slifer slacker?!"

"What?!" Blair gritted her teeth, standing up. "Oh, she did not insult my best friend like that!"

"O-okay..." spoke up Elize. "I-I mean, I accept!"

Sana smirked. _'Oh, this is going to be an easy victory for me! A Slifer Red against an Obelisk Blue! It's clear who the victor would be!"_

In a few short minutes, both female duelists faced each other in the Duel Arena, where the rest of the school was spectating on the whole dueling event. Soon, the duel would begin, and the winner would be determined as the new Miss Duel Academy.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Sana - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"So...Um...who goes first?" asked Elize. "If you want, you can go first, Sana."

Sana merely chuckled, lightly pushing away a few strands of her hair behind her ear with her finger. "Since I'm obviously going to win, I'll let you have the first move. Not that it'll matter. You're still going to lose and I'll be proclaimed the winner and the title of Miss Duel Academy!"

"Ugh! First, she starts bragging and then she tries discouraging Elize?" groaned Blair, disgusted. "She's like a selfish brat!"

"Now, now! Let's just wait until the duel starts getting real interesting!" assured Jaden, calming down the gender-mistaken girl by patting her shoulder. "Maybe Sana will have a change of heart then!"

Elize nodded, smiling at Sana. "T-thank you, Sana!"

"Please! I only let you take the first turn because you really will need it when I grind you down!"

"O-okay...? Anyways, draw!" Elize began formulating a plan inside her mind after drawing her card. She snapped her fingers, knowing what to do. "Okay! I think I'll set this Monster facedown in Defense! Then, I place one card facedown and end!"

"That's it? Not too bad, but it'll take more than defense to stop me! My draw!" Sana smirked, her expression revealing that she had something planned. "You know, I could end this in a One Turn Kill, but I don't have all the cards needed. So, I'll summon Nurse Reficule the Fallen One!"

A fair woman who's body was nearly bandaged up landed near her summoner's side. She would be quite a sight to see, would it not for her vicious, sharp-looking wings and her bandaged body.

Nurse Reficule the Fallen One - (DARK/Fairy) - LV4 - (1400/600)

"Now, I play my Gift Card!~" snickered Sana. "This Spell gives you 3000 Life Points!"

"Huh? You're giving me Life Points?" wondered Elize, confused. "Thank you! But...why?"

Sana's smirk only grew wider. "Oh, don't thank me...In fact, you'll just be hurt in the end! I activate Reficule's special ability! Anytime you try and gain Life Points, they're only going to inflict damage on you!"

"Wait, so Elize received 3000 Life Points," pointed out Syrus. "So, that would mean..."

"That would mean Elize's Life Points are going to take a major hit!" said Alexis, frowning. "3000 damage to her Life Points!"

"That much?! You're kidding!" exclaimed Jaden and Syrus.

Bastion shook his head. "Poor girl. It's only been the start of the duel, and already, she's losing."

 **Sana - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 1000 LP**

 _ **"I knew it! I knew she was a horrible bitch!"**_ growled Hiita in her spirtual form.

"H-Hitta! That's rude to say!" whispered Elize.

"Oh, and don't think I haven't forgotten about my attack!" yelled Sana. "Go, Reficule! Attack her facedown Monster!"

Extending her wings, Reficule slashed downwards as if using a scythe. Right as her attack was about to pull through, Elize's Monster flipped over, revealing to be Dharc the Dark Charmer. He used his staff and his magic to block the attack, since his defense was stronger than her attack.

Dharc the Dark Charmer - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 **Sana - 3900 LP**

 **Elize - 1000 LP**

Sana grunted, taking a step back before her Reficule flew back to her current position before attacking. _'Great, so she managed to buy herself a little extra time,'_ Sana thought. _'No matter, her Monster's weak at attacking anyways. As soon as I sacrifice Reficule on my next turn, it'll be all over!'_

"Dharc's Flip Effect activates!" said Elize. "As long as he's face up on the field, I gain control of one DARK Monster! I choose Reficule!"

"What?!"

The Dark Charmer lifted up his weapon, thus making it glow a dark, purple aura. The aura materialized into a form of smoke which surrounded Reficule and forced her to walk towards Elize's side of the field.

"Fine! I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!" grumbled Sana.

"My turn! Draw!" Elize picked up one of the cards she held in her hand before placing it on her duel disk. "I set one Monster facedown in Defense Mode, set a facedown, and activate my Trap, Gift of the Mystical Elf! For every Monster on the field, I gain 300 Life Points each! So, I get 900 Life Points back!"

 **Sana - 3900 LP**

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

"Not only did she get some defense, but she also managed to recover some of her Life Points!" said Alexis. "Nice move, Elize!"

"Now, I attack! Reficule, please attack Sana!"

The Fairy-type Monster screeched before lashing towards Sana, clawing at her with her sharp claws before backing away.

 **Sana - 2500 LP**

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

Sana shook her head furiously, grimancing from the slight, small painful experience that had just occured. She wasn't going to lose to this girl! Not by a hair!

Concern for her, Elize reached out a hand out to her, though they were both far away. "Um...are you okay? I already ended my turn, so..."

"Just peachy," grumbled Sana, drawing her card. She smirked, then said, "I summon Dunames Dark Witch in Attack Mode!"

Wings spreading, the warrior-like Fairy-type Monster stood firmly with a bold expression on her face. She clearly didn't seem afraid of the danger ahead and scorned at the word "retreat."

Dunames Dark Witch - (LIGHT/Fairy) - (1800/1050)

"If I destroy that Dharc guy of yours, I can gain control of Reficule again! Then, I can end this! Go! Take down her Dharc!"

The angelic Monster rose up in the air before soaring downwards at Dharc with her fist extended, ready to punch the daylights out of the DARK Spellcaster.

"Trap activate! Negate Attack!" shouted Elize. "This cancels your Monster's attack and ends the Battle Phase!"

Sana gritted her teeth. Another dead end once again! If this keeps up, Elize might sacrifice her Monsters for an even stronger one, and end this duel! Then, her three year long record of being Miss Duel Academy will be ruined!

"Fine! I'll set one card and end!"

"Okay! I go next! Draw!" Elize looked at her cards and thought, _'Ok...I feel a little bad for Sana, and I want to make her feel better, so maybe I can restore her Life Points a little?'_

"This is pretty bad for Elize," commented Bastion. "If she doesn't summon a Monster to destroy Dunames Dark Witch, her Dharc will be destroyed!"

"Yeah, not only that, but Sana will get back Reficule!" said Syrus.

"Even worst, if Sana happens to have a Life Point restoring Spell card, Elize is done for!" added Alexis.

Elize said, "I activate Mooyan Curry, restoring your Life Points by 200."

"Wait, what?! Damnit!" yelled Sana before being blasted by a shockwave coming from Reficule. The shockwave stunned her so badly, she fell on her back. Fortunately, she wasn't physically damaged, but she was more angry than before.

 **Sana - 2300 LP**

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

"Nice going, Elize! You're doing a good job!" cheered Jaden.

Elize didn't seem pleased one bit, but rather confused. "H-huh? What's wrong?! I thought she would be happy if I gave her Life Points!"

"You idiot, did you forget? Reficule is still on your side of the field!" reminded Sana. "If she is, then any effect that restores my Life Points are only used as damage only! You idiot! You did that on purpose!"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I thought it would be good to give you a boost!" Wanting to change the subject, Elize tried to set a card. "I-I set one card facedown and end my turn!"

"Then, I draw!" Sana replied, drawing her card with some arrogance in her tone.

"I activate my Continuous Trap card! Solemn Wishes!" declared Elize, thinking she was on the nick of time. "Every time I draw a card, my Life Points increase by 500!"

"Awesome! Elize might be back in the game pretty soon as long as that card's in play!" exclaimed Syrus.

"Not quite," said Bastion, shaking his head in disapproval. "Remember, there's still a chance that Sana could still summon a Monster whose Attack Points are higher than Dharc's. If she manages to destroy Dharc, then she gets back Reficule. Reficule's ability makes it so that whenever Elize gains back Life Points, she only loses them instead. I only wished that she had waited until the end of Sana's turn to decide whether to use her Trap card or not."

"Now it's time to bring back my Reficule, by summoning my cute Dancing Fairy!" shouted Sana eagerly.

Three tiny fairies circled around together as they giggled and played with each other before focusing their attention on the Dueling Arena. They were curious to see how the battle would turn out, as evident in their wide eyes.

Dancing Fairy - (WIND/Fairy) - LV4 - (1700/1000)

"Okay, Dancing Fairy! Attack Dharc!"

The three fairies gathered together, forming small balls of light as the wind swirled around them. Once they were all set, they let loose their balls of light, with the wind providing the balls of light speed. Dharc tried to defend using his dark magic, but stood no chance and was erased.

"Dharc!" cried out Elize.

"And don't forget! Now that your Dharc's gone, I get back Reficule, and it's still my Battle Phase!" reminded Sana. "Now, go! Slaughter her last facedown Monster, Reficule!"

Reficule screeched in response, then flew towards the facedown Monster as it was flipped and about to reveal itself. Reficule was thrown back and cried out as she landed on the ground.

The Monster that Elize had placed down was Mystical Elf, a Spellcaster-type Monster who may have low attack power, but considerably high defense to boot up. Her divine defensive powers had saved herself from being destroyed.

Mystical Elf - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (800/2000)

 **Sana - 1700 LP**

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

"Damn! She got me again! And she didn't even need to attack!" grunted Sana, glancing at her Dunames Dark Witch. _'I was originally planning on making a direct attack with Dunames Dark Witch, but I guess that'll have to wait!'_ "I end my turn!"

"Then, I'll go!"

Just as Elize was drawing her card, Sana interrupted her with a smirk on her face. "Don't forget! Reficule's special ability activates! Instead of gaining those 500 extra Points, you _lose_ them!"

Elize winched as she felt a bit tingly from the holographic system, already sensing that she lost her Life Points as a result.

 **Sana - 1700 LP**

 **Elize - 1400 LP**

Jaden peered a bit at Elize's drawn card; his eyes widen. The card she had drawn was Blizzard Princess, an extremely powerful card! No doubt she's going to summon it, since she has only one Spellcaster-type on the field. If Elize plays her cards right, she might win!

Elize frowned, looking down at the Blizzard Princess card she had drawn. _'I have a chance at winning if I summon Blizzard Princess. Her special abilitiy allows me to only sacrifice one Spellcaster-type on the field, which is Mystical Elf. Even more, if she's summoned like this, Sana can't activate her Spells and Trap cards for the rest of the turn,'_ she thought, uneased. _'But...I don't want to sacrifice my friend in order to win. So, I won't use her!'_

"Okay! Now, I set a Monster facedown and end my turn!" Elize made her final decision with her actions.

Sana let out a sigh of relief, knowing that all Elize had done was summon another Monster. "Is that all you've got? Defense? Huh? Whatever! My draw!" After drawing, she smirked, then said, "I activate Rush Recklessly! And, I'll give the 700 power boost to my Dunames Dark Witch, which will last until the end of this turn!"

Dunames Dark Witch - (LIGHT/Fairy) - (2500/1050)

"Next, I activate one of my facedowns, the Equip Spell card, Fairy Meteor Crush! And I equip it to Dunames Dark Witch! Now, whenever she attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, I get to inflict piercing damage onto you!"

"Now that's bad!" cried out Blair, looking at Elize.

"Oh, but I'm not through yet! I activate my other facedown, Spikeshield with Chain! Now, my Dancing Fairy gets 500 Attack Points!"

Dancing Fairy - (WIND/Fairy) - LV4 - (2200/1000)

"Um...Can I ask why you didn't activate any of your facedowns earlier?" wondered Elize politely.

Sana shrugged, having no problems with answering that question. "I could have done that anytime I wanted to, but I wanted to see your strategy first! And needless to say, it damn sucks, just like you!"

"HEY! Don't you call Elize that way!" yelled Blair, unable to contain her frustration at the Obelisk Blue beauty. "At least she's trying her best!"

"All I see if a weak, pathetic girl who hides behind defensive Monsters!"

 _'...She's right,'_ Elize thought, her hand shaking. _'I am weak...always using defense against my opponents and losing a lot...But...at least I can keep my Monsters safe...'_

"Let's end this!" decided Sana. "First, I attack your Mystical Elf with my Dunames Dark Witch! And, in addition, she gets to inflict piercing damage towards your Life Points!"

Dunames Dark Witch soared towards Mystical Elf and slashed through her defenses using her sharp wings, making the Spellcaster cry out in pain before disappearing.

 **Sana - 1700 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

"Next up is Dancing Fairy! Attack her facedown Monster!"

Like before, the three fairies charged up together before unleashing a ray of light at the facedown Monster right as it was about to reveal its appearance. Apparently, the power of the trio was just too strong for the Monster, as it quickly dispersed immediantly.

"Fire Sorcerer!" Elize managed to get a grip on herself and explain to Sana what was to come. "W-when her Flip effect activates, I have to remove two cards from my hand...then, you get 800 points of damage. I...I have to choose Blizzard Princess and Doriado's Blessing."

"Wait, wha-?! Gaah!" Before Sana could finish, she was blasted with fire coming from the effects Elize had described. She wasn't burnt, no, but she definitely didn't like the effect damage she received.

 **Sana - 900 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

"She had such a powerful card like Blizard Princess all this time, and she didn't bother to use it in her last turn?!" exclaimed Bastion, shocked. "What was she thinking?!"

 _'Elize...I didn't think your devotion to your cards was this great,'_ thought Jaden, also surprised as his friends.

"Oh man! She's going to lose! I can't watch!" said Syrus, hiding behind Blair.

"Hey! Be a man!" scolded Blair. _'Still, why didn't Elize just play her?'_

"I still have another attack!" shouted Sana. "Reficule! Finish this off!"

Reficule ran towards Elize, making her defend by covering herself with her arms. She let out a cry of surprise when Reficule slashed at her with her wings, thus bringing a conclusion to the duel.

 **Sana - 900 LP**

 **Elize - 0**

 **Winner: Sana**

"Yes! I won!" cheered Sana, jumping up and down cheerfully. She faced the crowd, more presumably her fans, and posed as cutely as possible. "See that, everyone? Yours Truly just won this close match with beauty and cute Monsters!~"

Her fans roared with excitement as they chanted her name over and over, affected by her cute charms and good looks. Jaden and everyone else clapped a little for Sana, knowing that she won fair and square and that clapping is the least that she deserves.

Elize also applauded for Sana, not even sadden by the fact that she lost the title of Miss Duel Academy to her. She went up to her, saying, "Sana? Good job in winning the duel. C-Congratulations on becoming Miss Duel Academy this year."

Sana normally would scoff at a Slifer Red for talking to her, but reconsidered her words. _'This girl...she almost beat me...And she could have even summoned that Blizzard Princess of hers! Yet, she didn't...why?'_

"Hey, you. Elize, right?"

"Y-yes?"

"Why didn't you summon Blizzard Princess? All it needed to summon her was just one Spellcaster. You had Mystical Elf on the field, who's also a Spellcaster. You could have sacrificed her for that powerful Monster. So, why didn't you?"

"Um...Well..." If Elize spoke the truth about not willing to sacrifice her Duel Spirit friends, she would have been considered a lunatic to others. She's already had enough bullying in her life to go through so much torment again. "I...I kinda forgot. I was kinda focused on trying to defend. Besides, I thought maybe you deserved the glory more than me."

"Huh. Well, whatever case, I have to admit," started Sana, crossing her arms. "For a Slifer Red, you aren't...that bad. But, you're nowhere near my level! I am an Obelisk Blue after all!"

Elize nodded, fully understanding that. "Yup. I guess I'll just have to try harder! Have a nice day, Sana."

She turned around and left the Dueling Arena, listening to the crowd cheering for the newest Miss Duel Academy of the year; Sana Nickolin.

* * *

 _Later..._

 _ **"Maaan! You were so close to winning! Why didn't you summon me?"**_ demanded Blizzard Princess, puffing her cheeks out in frustration.

Some of the duel spirits confronted Elize as soon as she was all alone in her dorm room. Blair was out buying new cards, wanting to improve her deck

"W-well, I..."

 _ **"Yeah! You had one shot to summon her! She would have been strong enough to defeat that bitch's Monsters! Why didn't you?!"**_ asked Hiita, agreeing with Blizzard Princess.

"I-I...Well...I..."

 _ **"Look, we told you over and over that we're okay with being sacrificed! It's no big deal!"**_ said Eria in an urging tone.

 _ **"Would you all please stop this?"**_ ordered Doriado, standing in front of Elize with a stern expression. _**"Can you not see that Elize is really upset right now? You're not going to get any answers by simply yelling at her like this!"**_

Hiita and Eria gasped before kneeling down, along with Wynn, Lyna, Dharc, and Aussa, who had appeared to greet their teacher with formal respect. _**"Yes, Mistress Doriado! We sinicerely apologize!"**_ both Hiita and Eria said in unison.

Doriado shook her head. _**"If anyone deserves the apology, it should be Elize."**_

"N-no! I'm fine! Please don't worry, Miss Doriado!" assured Elize.

 _ **"Elize, you're way too soft. Just accept what's going to happen,"**_ advised Blizzard Princess.

Mystical Elf stood next to Elize, gently rubbing her back to show her motherly side. _**"Elize...why will you not sacrifice us in duels? We understand that you don't want us hurt but still..."**_

Meanwhile, Jaden was heading towards his dorm room, whistling a tune to entertain himself while Winged Kuriboh sat on his shoulder. It was a shame his friend lost the match, but at least she tried her best, and he knew that doing the best always triumphs in the end.

"Please, just stop it! Stop telling me what to do! Just-just leave me alone!"

He paused, turning his head slightly just like the startled Winged Kuriboh. Jaden leaned his head near the doorframe where he had heard the mysterious voice. Judging by the fact that it was a female voice, and that there was only one female Slifer Red in campus, Jaden automatically assumed it was Elize's voice.

"Wonder what's up, Winged Kuriboh..." muttered Jaden, glancing at his furry, winged friend who only shrugged. He could hear a little bit of sobbing as Elize was struggling to speak her mind.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't...I didn't mean to yell like that...Just...just give me some alone time, alright?"

Jaden heard the door clicking open and moved out of the way in time. The door burst open, and a wailing Elize came running out, obviously upset. He wanted to try following her, but Winged Kuriboh stopped him in his tracks, shaking his head.

As much as Jaden hated it, he knew Winged Kuriboh was right. He had to leave Elize alone, for now. Maybe later, Elize would like to talk to him for comfort? Who knows?

* * *

 **Yeah, kinda got this idea from the GX manga, but with obvious changes. Now, I'll soon get back to the anime parts, but is there any suggestions for this story? Please let me know! Read and review!**


	7. Sacrificial Pain

**Hey guys? I'm gonna skip the whole Bastion vs Jaden duel thing and the Chazz vs Jaden for the school rivalry thing. Chazz is back, and Bastion got defeated by Jaden. Instead, this is just another filler chapter and all that.**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Now! I sacrifice my Monster in order to summon White-Horned Dragon!" shouted a Slifer Red student, laying the Monster card on his duel disk.

The summoned dragon sprang to life before roaring and standing guard near his owner's side.

White-Horned Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV6 - (2200/1400)

This particular Slifer Red was facing off against Elize in another of the monthly field tests that everyone was required to take. So far, things weren't really in Elize's favor, as her opponent managed to reduce her Life Points by a large amount while she managed to scrap her opponent's Life Points very little. She and her opponent were among one of the last participants for the field tests.

On Elize's side of the field, all she had was just a Monster on her side of the field, which happened to be the beautiful, teenage-like Familiar-Possessed-Eria in Attack Mode.

Familiar-Possessed-Eria - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1850/1500)

However, on the Slifer Red's side, he had a facedown and his newly summoned dragon, White-Horned Dragon, who was currently the strongest Monster in play right now.

"Wait! Before I attack, I activate White-Horned Dragon's ability!" shouted the Slifer Red student. "When he's Special Summoned and Normal Summoned, I can target up to five Spell cards in your Graveyard,banish them, and then my Monster gains 300 Attack Points for each card banished! So, how many Spell cards did you use during the duel?"

"...Two," said Elize, taking out her two used Spell cards from her Graveyard before placing them in her pants pocket for safekeeping.

White-Horned Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV6 - (2800/1400)

 **Slifer Red student - 3200 LP**

 **Elize - 1400 LP**

"White-Horned Dragon! Attack that Eria!" ordered the Slifer Red student.

White-Horned Dragon spreaded his wings before firing a laser attack at Familiar-Possessed - Eria, who screamed after getting shot in the chest before disappearing.

 **Slifer Red student - 3200 LP**

 **Elize - 950 LP**

"Oh man! Elize's losing!" cried out Jaden, watching from the sidelines with his friends. For him, he passed his field test with flying colors, though it was plain obvious he failed the written exam.

Alexis, who finished her field test minutes ago, glared at the boy. "Hold on. Elize is still hanging in there, so don't give up hope."

Chazz scoffed, his arms crossed. "Yeah, she's definitely gonna lose. Ow!"

Blair, who stomped on the black coated teen's foot, angrily stared at him. "Hey! Don't be like that! Cheer for my bestie!" She turned back to the duel and shouted with enthusiasm, "Go, Elize!"

Hearing the tomboy cheering for her sake, Elize felt a bit of hope inside before she realized it was her turn. "Oh! My turn!" Drawing her card, Elize turned her hand to see what it was before smiling. "Oh! I can use this! First, I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!"

One of Elize's favorite cards sprouted from the ground like a beautiful flower blooming. The fair, blue-skinned maiden hummed a tone as she was being summoned before stopping short.

Mystical Elf - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (800/2000)

"Look, I know she's a good defense person, but my Monster is way stronger than her Defense Points," reminded the Slifer Red student.

"I know, but wait! I now equip Horn of Light to Mystical Elf, raising her defense by 800! After that, I'll end my turn!"

Mystical Elf - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (800/2800)

Syrus, who now finished his duel, ran up to his friends...and Chazz. "Hey, guys! What's going on?" Looking at the rest of the duels below the gym floor, he spotted Elize's and saw the current situation going on. "Oh, wow! That's a high defense power!"

"Yeah! There's no way her opponent's going to beat that high defense!" agreed Blair. "After all, both are equal!"

"My turn! Draw!" spoke the Slifer Red student. "Great! I activate Dragon's Treasure and equip it to my White - Horned Dragon, raising his Attack and Defense points by 300!"

White-Horned Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV6 - (3100/1700)

"That's bad! He's now stronger than her Mystical Elf!" said Syrus.

"Wait, Mystical Elf is still in Defense Mode, so Elize is still safe," assured Jaden. "Don't worry! Just a little luck, and she'll pull through!"

"Now, I summon Blackland Fire Dragon!" the Slifer Red student said, holding up the card for all to see.

The green dragon didn't seem as strong as his ally, White - Horned Dragon, but once Mystical Elf was gone, Elize was all ready for a direct attack from him.

Blackland Fire Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV4 - (1500/800)

"White-Horned Dragon! Finish off Mystical Elf! After that, Blackland Fire Dragon! Direct attack her!"

To start things off, White-Horned Dragon flew above everyone's head and breathed fire all over Mystical Elf, incinerating her in a matter of seconds. Next, Blackland Fire Dragon fired his own breath, except instead of fire, it turned out to be a blast that exploded when it came into contact with Elize.

"Gaah!" Caught off guard by how strong the blast is, and luckily not suffering any physical damage, the impact sent her rolling around until her back hit the wall, causing her to accidentally smash the back of her head against the wall.

 **Slifer Red student - 3200 LP**

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Slifer Red student**

"I just won the duel! Yeah!" cheered the Slifer Red student to himself before walking off to check out the other duels.

Elize groaned, placing a hand on the back of her injured head. Her other body parts were alright, but it seems that she'll be experiencing a bit of a headache for a while now. At least her opponent won, and would most likely be nominated to Ra Yellow thanks to his victory.

The other students who were watching Elize's duel with the Slifer Red already knew the outcome of the duel even before the duel started, since they already saw how Elize dueled.

"As expected, she lost."

"Wow, what a failure."

"Not surprising, since she's a Slifer slacker."

"I would have sacrificed one of her Monsters! What a wimp, not sacrificing it for a stronger Monster!"

"She's pathetic, just like her deck!"

"Booo!"

"My God, are they ever going to stop bugging her?!" cried out Blair, glaring angrily at the insulting group.

This wasn't the first time that Elize has been insulted and picked on; she's always been a victim of bullying just like any other Ra Yellow or Slifer Red. Her friends have constantly tried defending her over and over, but Elize, being the kind girl she is, always forgives her bullies no matter what, believing that violence was never right. Although, she doesn't really take lightly to being picked on anyways.

Alexis shook her head, disgusted about the fact that she was in the same rank as the bullies. "I can't believe them. Looks like I'll have to talk to them aga-"

 **SPLAT!** Elize felt something hitting the side of her hat which splattered to a little of the side of her face. Judging from the squished fruit on the ground and the red juice on her hat, Elize knew it was a tomato. Somebody had thrown a tomato at Elize as a sign of insult.

Jaden and his friends, having seen what happened, seemed shocked and horrified that such a thing happened to poor, innocent Elize. They turned and saw a couple of Obelisk Blues, including the group that insulted Elize, crackling up and pointing at her.

"That's it!" yelled Blair before rushing at the group with fury in her mind. Unable to tolerate anymore bullying, Syrus joined with Blair, charging at the bullies.

Chazz frowned, knowing that if he was as selfish and arrogant like he was back in Obelisk Blue, would no doubt join the group into bullying people like Elize. However, since he's changed, and although he hates admitting it, he despises arrogant people in Obelisk Blue. Somebody had to stop Syrus and Blair from doing something crazy, so that's what he did.

Noticing Chazz moving in and grabbing Syrus, Alexis got the same idea and reached out to stop Blair. What the bullies did was wrong and shameful, but that doesn't mean that Syrus and Blair have the right to hurt them back. She'll deal with those bullies later, but for now, she had to stop Blair and Syrus.

Jaden looked back at Elize, worried for the girl. The last he's seen of her was her running from the gym; a few tears falling down from all the humilation she received. He ran after her while Alexis and Chazz handled the situation.

* * *

 _The next day..._

Blair couldn't concentrate on anything during classes; her thoughts completely focused on Elize. She thought that Elize was out, wanting to be alone for a while, so she slept all alone in their dorm room together. However, Blair couldn't find Elize anywhere in the Slifer Red dorms, so she had to attend class alone without her best friend.

Yesterday, ever since the whole bullying incident, Sheppard and a few other teachers handled the situation and the bullies, giving them a month's worth of detention as punishment. Of course, Blair and Syrus wanted to teach those bullies a lesson in their own way, but Chazz and Alexis managed to stop them from also being punished. Afterwards, everyone tried to find Elize, but to no avail.

Since today's classes were over, the first thing Blair did was try and find her other friends. Finding Syrus and Jaden trading cards with each other, she pulled down her hat and rushed towards them.

"Hey! Jaden! Syrus!"

"Hmm?" Looking up, Syrus saw Blair panting from all the running. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's Elize! I-I can't find her anywhere! All day, I've tried looking for her between classes, but she's nowhere to be found!"

"What?!"

Jaden stood up, dropping his cards on the table. "Oh man! That's bad! When was the last time you saw her, Blair?"

"Since yesterday, when she ran off! You guys were there too, you know! Ugh! Never mind! Just help me find her! I'm really worried!"

"Okay!" Both Syrus and Jaden placed their spreaded cards back to their decks and split up to different directions just like Blair did.

Soon, Bastion, Chazz, and Alexis joined in the search party as well. Well, Chazz mostly joined because Alexis was there, and if he refused right there, then Alexis would probably think of him as despicable. By the time the sun was about to go down, nobody could find her and they soon met up near the Slifer Red dorms.

"How hard is it to find one little kid?!" demanded Chazz, frustated and tired.

"She's actually 13, and a teen," reminded Blair. "But, anyways, I'm really worried! I asked all the teachers, except for Crowler, and nobody's found her yet!"

"Um...Pardon me, but why not Crowler?" asked Bastion.

"Do you honestly think that transgender asshole is going to help?"

Jaden nodded. "Of course! I mean, he seems mean, and I know he doesn't like us Slifers, but that doesn't mean he's willing to abandon us."

 _'...Right,'_ everyone thought, doubting that fact.

"...You know, I think it's best that we stop for today," suggested Bastion. "Don't get me wrong; I'm concerned for Elize's safety, but it'll soon get dark. We've done all we can for today, and if we can't find her again tommorow, then we alert the Chancellor."

Alexis nodded, though she had a concern look. "Yeah...I hate to admit it, but Bastion's right. We're not getting anywhere like this."

"Sounds good to me," said Chazz.

Blair huffed, saying, "Fine! But, I'm still going to search for Elize! I'm not giving up!"

"Me either!" agreed Jaden. "Elize is a friend, and friends always help each other!"

"Yeah!" Syrus said. "Don't worry about us, guys! We're going to keep searching!"

"Okay, but be careful," warned Alexis before she and Bastion left for their respective dorms. Seeing that he wasn't going to help any further today, Chazz went inside his dorm room while Jaden and the others kept searching.

 _ **"Kuri kuri!"**_ Right on top of Jaden's shoulder sat Winged Kuriboh, who was trying to alert him of something.

"Huh? What is it, little buddy?"

Winged Kuriboh pointed to the top of the Duel Academy building, causing Jaden to squint his eyes and try identifying what Winged Kuriboh was talking about. Though very hard to see, Jaden could tell that someone was up on the rooftop.

"Wait...Is that...?"

Wanting to confirm for himself, Jaden began running inside the building, hoping to climb up the stairs that led up the rooftop. When he finally opened the hatch that led out into the rooftop, he knew exactly who was hanging around.

Elize; just as he expected.

Well, actually, she was laying on her back, not moving an inch. That caused Jaden to start panicking and cringing once he saw her fallen form.

"Elize! Elize! Elize! Oh God! You can't be dead! Blair will kill me if she finds out I found you first and saw you dead! Oh man! Aaah! Elize! Wake up! Wake! Wake up! Wake-"

 **SLAP!** Jaden's head was forcibly turned to the side when he felt something hot hitting him in the cheek. He whimpered and rubbed his...not so red cheek before looking up to see the spiritual forms of Hiita and Wynn.

 _ **"Jeez! You are so LOUD!"**_ complained Hiita, pulling her hand back., Jaden can only assume she was the one who slapped him, and even though it didn't leave a mark, since it was a spirit who slapped him, it actually hurt!

Wynn kneeled down near Jaden. _**"I'm truly sorry that Hiita slapped you. But please, quiet down. Elize is asleep."**_

"Huh?"

Since he was now near Elize's side, Jaden took a good look at her. Elize did indeed look curled up, but she was snoring softly; her eyes closed. She was in a deep sleeping state since Jaden's loud outburst didn't seem to wake her up.

"How long has she been...asleep?"

 _ **"When she got up to the roof yesterday, she was crying her eyes out and we were trying to comfort her when she fell asleep!"**_ said Hiita, shaking her fist at the skies. _**"Damn bullies...What did Elize ever do to them?!"**_

 _ **"Now, now, Hiita...We can't actually hurt human beings unless absolutely necessary,"**_ said Wynn, trying to calm down her Fire Charmer friend. _**"Although that slap from before was unnecessary, as long as Mistress Doriado doesn't find out, we'll be safe."**_

 _ **"Damn...Fine! But anyways, when Elize woke up today, she just went back to sleep because she was still exhausted! Naturally, everyone took turns trying to wake her up, but we decided to let her be because she had a rough day yesterday."**_

"Yeah, I guess so," said Jaden. "But, I'll wake her up now! You guys mind?"

Wynn shook her head, smiling. _**"No, not a problem."**_

 _ **"Alright, fine,"**_ said Hiita, who had her arms crossed. She then unfolded them and held a fireball in her hand, somewhat scaring Jaden. _**"BUT! Do anything weird to Elize, and you will be burnt to a crisp even if we're spirits!"**_

"N-no problem!" All Jaden did was shake Elize rapidly and call out her name. After a few minutes, Elize began to stir and she started to wake up.

"Oh...Jaden? And...Wynn and Hiita?" murmured Elize, rubbing her eyes. "Did...did something happen?"

"Well, you went missing since yesterday, everyone's been looking for you, and I found ya sleeping up in the rooftop," explained Jaden all in a short summary.

Elize slowly nodded. "Oh yeah...I remember. I...I ran off after failing my field test."

"Well, don't you worry one bit!" assured Jaden, patting the girl on the head. "You dueled well, and hey! Everyone loses once in a while!"

"...Okay, you're right."

"Hey, think I can ask you something? Think you can ask your friends to leave so we can talk? It's important."

Wynn, who had full trust in Jaden, nodded to the boy and tugged on Hiita's sleeve. _**"Let's hurry back to the Spirit World, Hiita. It's almost time for our lessons anyways."**_

 _ **"Wait, what?! No! I wanna stay! Who knows what sort of schemes that guy's planning! He-he could be proposing to Elize for all we know!"**_ argued Hiita; her overprotective sister mode activating.

 _ **"Hiita."**_ Wynn's tone was calm, but a bit stern. _**"Remember how you said you owed me for doing your homework before? Well, I want you to repay me back by returning to the Spirit World with me."**_

 _ **"Grrr! That's a cheap trick to pull right now! But...Fine! I'll go! I totally hate owning people things anyways."**_ After saying that, both Hiita and Wynn vanished, leaving Elize alone with Jaden.

Jaden, who was sweating bullets from Hiita's threats, turned to Elize. "Um...Are they always like that?"

Elize nodded calmly. "Yeah. I've known them since I was a baby, so...it's been a long time. I-I'm sorry if they offended you."

"No problem. ...So, I wanted to ask you something. Look, I can't really forgive those bullies for tormenting you. But, the way I see you duel, Elize, you don't really sacrifice your Monsters. So, can you tell me why? Or is it something personal?"

Elize seemed a bit hesitant in answering the question, but seeing how it came to no harm, she agreed. "O-Okay...I-I just don't want to sacrifice them because they're my friends..."

"Friends?" That perked up Jaden's attention. "Look, I get that your duel spirits are your friends. Winged Kuriboh's my friend, too. But, I heard your duel spirits telling you over and over that it's alright to sacrifice them."

"I know!" shouted Elize, suddenly getting offensive. She relaxed her shoulders and calmed down. "I know...I'm sorry. It's just that, everyday, they keep telling me over and over to sacrifice them for stronger Monster like Blizzard Princess. I...kinda got frustrated one time and yelled at them. I felt guilty, so I apologized the next day."

"Yikes, everyday? I would have gone nuts. You know, it's alright to yell at them every now and then."

Elize shook her head. "Maybe in your case. B-but I know they didn't deserve to be yelled at, especially when they were trying to help. I do understand and know that they want me to sacrifice them, but I just can't do that."

"But...why?" wondered Jaden.

"W-well, because they're my friends! And...there's another reason...Back in my old school, I was considered the smartest girl in class, and my grades were considered that of high junior high levels, but that was only because I studied a lot everyday! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to brag!"

"Hey! It's fine! I wasn't offended or nothing," said Jaden, placing a hand on her shoulder to calm the girl. "So, what next?"

"Right...So, once everyone recognized my talent, they came flocking over to me, asking me to help them figure out problems or anything. B-but one time, some people saw how attached I was to my cards, and...and they took them away from me! They told me that they'd rip up my favorite cards and do worse things to me if I don't do their homework everyday! I-I couldn't let them rip up Wynn or Hiita or anyone else! So, I did what I was told to do..."

Jaden frowned, but nodded in understanding. He knew the mutual feeling too well...since one time, when he was a kid, a couple of bullies stoled his cards. As a result, he used brutal force to get back his cards, but he ended up being suspended from school for a while.

"I-I was so upset and mad at the people, that I told a teacher about it! Naturally, the teacher took care of the situation and forced the bullies to give back my cards, and I heard they got phone calls to home. But then, they started spreading really terrible rumors about me, like being a tattletale or something! M-My sis managed to get me transferred to a different school in the end."

Jaden, feeling sorry for the girl, was still confused. "Hold on. How exactly does this relate to the whole 'no sacrificing Monsters' thing?"

"...Because, I'd be taking advantage of my Monsters if I did that. Simply sacrificing one Monster to activate a card effect or for a more powerful Monster seems...cruel to me. I'd only be sacrificing for my own selfish needs!" At this point, Elize had stood up and began shouting desperately. "Those bullies took advantage of me because I was smart. I'd be like a bully if I just took advantage of my cards-no, friends like that!"

"Elize, you're no bully!" Jaden stood up as well and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Elize, I know you! You're a nice, polite girl who's thoughtful of others! Anyone who's like that is never a bully! Don't worry about those guys from yesterday! They're the ones in the wrong here! They barely even know who you are, or how strong your deck is capable of being if you simply sacr-I mean, if you simply believe more in your deck!"

"...Thank you, Jaden, for those words. But, I'm really trying the best I can with my deck, without the sacrifice part. But, did you know there used to be a U.S. champion named Rafael who never sacrificed or even allowed his Monsters to be destroyed? I was...sorta more inspired by his way of dueling and adapted it to my style a little bit."

"Oh yeah...I kinda heard of him," said Jaden. "Rumors are that he stopped being in championships and retired from dueling."

"...Anyways, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, Jaden, really. But...I'm not really keen on sacrificing my Monsters."

After hearing a bit of Elize's backstory, Jaden was more than determined to help her out. "No worries! I can help clear your mind with...this!" Taking out his duel disk from his backpack, Jaden placed the object on his arm. "Let's duel!"

"Duel?" Elize was taken aback by his demand. "But...why?"

"So I can help you! By the end of this duel, I'll have one your Monsters in the Graveyard!"

"But...everyone who's defeated me already placed most of my Monsters in the Graveyard," pointed out Elize.

"Er...what I meant was, I'm gonna force you to...use your Monsters to summon another Monster!" declared Jaden.

"Eh?! Jaden, I just told you! I'm not a bully! I won't sacrifice them for selfish needs!"

"It's not selfish! Look, just duel with me. Just one little duel. PLEASE?"

Knowing how persistent Jaden can be, Elize nodded, agreeing. Mostly because she, like everyone else, couldn't stand Jaden's nagging and begging over and over.

"Alright! Get your game on!"

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"To start things off, how about you go first?" offered Jaden.

"Huh? Okay! Draw!" After drawing a card, Elize looked at her hand and thought carefully on this matter. Coming up with a decision, Elize knew what to do. "I set a Monster facedown before I end my turn."

"Then, it's my go!" Jaden glanced at his hand after drawing a card. For a second, he considered bringing Burstinatrix to the field, but changed his mind. After all, who knows what sort of Monster Elize summoned? Instead, he said, "I summon Sparkman to the field and end my turn!"

The LIGHT Attribute Hero showed up on the field, ready to fight away when he heard his master commanding an end to his turn for now. Oh well, there was always next time to strike.

Elemental HERO Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)

Elize tilted her head, confused as she drew her card. Why didn't he attack her facedown? Did he not want to risk it? Well, a lot of her Monsters may have low Attack power, but one of their best traits is high defense, so that must be it.

 _'Hope Elize didn't notice that I purposely ended my turn like that!'_ thought Jaden. _'Only reason I did was to give her a chance to sacrifice whatever facedown Monster she has. Come on, Elize!'_

"I Flip Summon my Monster!" shouted Elize, flipping her card face up. On the field, the card flipped over, revealing a happy-looking Lyna who was all pumped up for a fight.

Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Oh no!"

"Um...Jaden? Just to be clear, Lyna's Flip effect activates. Now, she gets to control your Monster because he's a LIGHT Attribute."

Giggling, Lyna waved her staff over her head; a strange glow emitting from the staff, possibly due to her magic. Sparkman unfolded his arms and flew over to Elize's side.

 _'Oh no! This is bad!'_ Seeing how he had absolutely no facedowns or a single Monster on his side of the field, it was natural for Jaden to be worried, until he figured something out. _'Oh, wait! This is a good thing! Now that Elize has two Monsters on her side of the field, she can definitely summon a powerful Monster, no matter how high its level is! Nice one, Elize!'_

Normally, Elize would just whisper or murmur with her duel spirits so other people don't get suspicious or think that she's gone crazy by talking with nothing by the air. However, since only Jaden was in the rooftop with her, it was alright for her to speak loud and clear. But, her shy personality gets the best of her a lot, so she found herself simply fiddling with her fingers.

Lyna, noticing how Elize was unsure how to response, knew exactly what to do. _**"Come on, Elize! I know you wanna talk to him!"**_ The Light Charmer walked over and gently shoved the timid girl over to Sparkman, who nearly bumped into him.

Stepping back a little, Elize then bowed her head. "Hello Sparkman, s-sir! I hope you can assist me with your powers today! Don't worry! I'll get you back to Jaden later!"

Turning his head back a little, Sparkman nodded. He could tell that this girl would be able to keep her word. Besides, he can't do anything in his position thanks to Lyna's Flip effect, so he'll have to obey her orders whether he liked it or not.

"So...You gonna summon a strong Monster or something?" called out Jaden. "I mean, you DO have TWO Monsters on your side of the field! That's...enough to make a strong Monster! Just one Monster for the price of two! Right there!"

Now knowing the reason why his master didn't attack before, Sparkman placed a hand on his helmet and shook his head while Lyna frowned and placed her hands on her hips. Jaden should know that it's going to take more than this strategy to convince Elize to sacrifice the both of them. His move just made a fatal mistake.

"Well...Okay!" said Elize. "Lyna, Sparkman! Please attack Jaden directly!"

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on! Gaaah!"

 _ **"Sorry, Jay-Jay! Just following orders!"**_ giggled Lyna in a small, seductive tone before firing an orb of light at him. Sparkman followed her example and shot lightning at his owner. The orb of light and lightning combined together to make an electrifying orb which shocked Jaden quite literally the moment it hit his chest.

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Jaden - 1900 LP**

"Jaden! Are you alright?" asked Elize. "I hope I didn't hurt you too badly! Oh! And, I end my turn!"

The Slifer Red teenager held up a hand, showing that he was alright. He drew his card before smirking. "Alright! Time to get my game on! And, my Sparkman! I activate Polymerization and fuse Avian and Burstinatrix to create Flame Wingman!"

The two Heroes flew up to the skies and escaped from plain sight; nowhere to be found. Then, emerging from the pure white clouds appeared the new Hero claded in red and green colors with a demonic figure.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

"I attack Lyna with Flame Wingman!" shouted Jaden excitedly. "Go! Inferno Rage!"

Flame Wingman lifted up his muscled arm and shot a couple of fireballs at the Light Charmer, who couldn't properly defend herself against the attack. One of the fireballs missed and hit Elize to deplete her Life Points just as Sparkman returned to Jaden's side now that Lyna was destroyed.

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

 **Jaden - 1900 LP**

"After that, it's Sparkman's turn! Go! Static Shockwave!"

After gathering electricity in his palms, Sparkman let loose and fired several bolts of lightning at Elize, who was forced to take them all as Battle Damage.

 **Elize - 300 LP**

 **Jaden - 1900 LP**

"With that, I'll end! Elize? You okay?"

The girl nodded, patting her clothing before drawing her card. "I'll be fine, Jaden. Thank you for asking, though. Now, I think that I'll just set a card and set a Monster in Defense Mode before I end my turn!"

 _'She didn't sacrifice anything this turn. Well, she doesn't have any cards on her field, so yeah...'_ thought Jaden, drawing his card. _'Maybe I should just skip my turn? No way! Maybe a bit of brute force will do the trick? I know! I'll just attack with Sparkman, and then I'll end!'_

"Here goes, Elize! I attack with Sparkman!"

Sparkman concentrated his electrical power to make it grow bigger and stronger before throwing it at the facedown Monster like a baseball player would.

"I activate my Trap!" said Elize. "Mirror Force! This Trap destroys all your Attack Position Monsters!"

"Oh man!"

The electrifying blast Sparkman fired was deflected by a mirror-like barrier that shielded Elize and her cards. Then, the blast redirected its aim and split into two; striking both Sparkman and Flame Wingman in the chests which made them explode.

Jaden merely chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Oops! Guess I should have watched out for that facedown, huh? Okay! I end!"

"It's my turn! And I Flip Summon Fire Sorcerer!"

A young, blond haired girl wearing a black dress and a black hat appeared with flames igniting on her fingertips. The intensive stare she was giving to Jaden somewhat made him nervous.

Fire Sorcerer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1500)

"Her special Flip effect activates! Now, by removing two cards from my hand, I'm allowed to inflict 800 points of damage directly to you!"

Jaden braced himself as he took on the full extent of Fire Sorcerer's fire power, which took the form of several molten fireballs that were aiming for his waist area. Needless to say, he was not happy when one of them managed to hit a very weak spot of his...even if it was supposed to be a hologram.

 **Elize - 300 LP**

 **Jaden - 1100 LP**

"Are you done...?" asked Jaden weakly, protecting any private spots.

Elize sweatdropped at how weak Jaden was sounding. "Um...I haven't even started my Battle Phase, Jaden...so, no."

"Noooooo!"

"J-Jaden! It'll be fine! Fire Sorcerer's attacks are really quick, you know."

 _'And painful,'_ Jaden wanted to add. He didn't due to the fact that said Monster was here, watching his every moves.

"Fire Sorcerer! ...Please make it quick for Jaden, okay?"

Even though she can't tolerate her friend/master's kind-hearted nature sometimes, Fire Sorcerer knew she had to obey her even if she didn't want to. All she did was focus her fire magic on the ground beneath Jaden before raising her arm up. That abruptly caused lava to burst out from the ground and damage Jaden's Life Points; not physically harming the boy.

 **Elize - 300 LP**

 **Jaden - 100 LP**

"Alright, that does it!" decided Jaden, drawing his card. "No more Mr. Nice Guy! I play Bubbleman in Attack Mode!"

The Hero of WATER emerged onto the field, fully pumped up for battle. Since it was a battle between FIRE and WATER Attribute Monsters, and considering their Attack Points, it was pretty obvious who would win.

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"Next, I equip him with Bubble Blaster! Yeah! Now his Attack Points increase by 800!"

Wielding a sort of cannon-like weapon that was attached to his shoulder, Bubbleman kneeled on one knee and aimed for Fire Sorcerer, ready to fire when necessary.

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1200)

Fire Sorcerer growled, snarling at Jaden who yelped and hid behind Bubbleman. _**"You idiot! You were supposed to throw the match and teach Elize to get over her fears of sacrificing us!"**_

"Hey, I agreed to Elize that I would try convincing her to sacrifice! I didn't say anything about throwing the match!" argued Jaden. "Bubbleman! Teach Fire Sorcerer a lesson! Fire!"

Bubbleman nodded and pulled the trigger, firing a fast bullet full of water which splashed all over Fire Sorcerer, destroying her and the rest of Elize's Life Points.

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Jaden - 100 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden**

"I guess...That was a fun duel," said Elize, walking up to her male friend after deactivating her duel disk.

"Whew! That was a really close match!" Jaden said.

"Jaden? Back in the first turns...why didn't you have Sparkman attack?"

"Well...I kinda wanted to let you have a go at attacking me with a way, high-leveled Monster for a change. Since you used Lyna's Flip effect and got control over my Monster, I fugred you could use the both of them as sacrifices."

Elize frowned, now knowing the full truth behind his actions. "Jaden...It'll take way more than that to try changing my mind."

"I know! ...So, are you willing to sacr-"

"No."

"But-"

"Jaden!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll drop it! ...For now, at least."

At that moment, both their stomachs grumbled loudly together. Jaden laughed as Elize hid her embarrassment behind her red hat. It was getting late, and they barely ate for a while, so naturally, they were hungry.

"Haha! Guess both of us are hungry, huh?" Jaden reached out and ruffled Elize's hair, laughing. "Let's go eat and then hit the showers! After all, we both stink!"

"Ehhh?! JADEN!" Elize blurted out; her face as red as blood. Perhaps nobody ever told Jaden, but he sometimes had...very rude manners. Speaking like that in front of a lady!

"I-IDIOT!" Elize began whacking Jaden with her hat; her eyes tightly closed. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Hey! Hey!" Jaden, thought not too tightly, grabbed her wrist in order to get her to stop hitting him.

 _ **"Jaden Yuki..."**_ The hair on Jaden's back of his head struck up when he sensed a sort of angry aura coming from a seething Hiita. _**"Just. What. Are. You. Doing?"**_

Pulling her wrist away, Elize stood in front of Jaden to protect him. "Hiita! Wait! He didn't mean to cause any trouble! A-and please leave! If you don't, then...I...I could get Miss Doriado!"

 _ **"What?! Tch...It's bad enough that I already have detention for a week, but another lecture from her...Well, it's bad. Alright, then Elize. But..."**_ Hiita glared at Jaden. _**"I'll be watching you...boy with Kuriboh hair."**_

After she disappeared, Elize looked at Jaden. "Jaden? I'm sorry that had to happen."

"Nah, it was my fault to begin with. Guess I shouldn't have said how much both of us sti-I mean, let's go back and join the others for dinner! Blair's worried sick about you anyways!"

Nodding to each other, both Slifer Reds decided to climb down the stairs, exiting the rooftop.

"By the way, Elize? Do you think my hair does look like a Kuriboh?"

"Um...In a matter of speaking?"

"Sweet!"

"You're happy? Why?"

"Because Winged Kuriboh is one of my favorite duel spirits! Besides, he's pretty cool! So, I have a couple of strategies for sacrificing..."

"Oh boy..."

* * *

 **Done and finished! Hope you guys enjoyed this! Won't update for a little bit! Read and review!**


	8. (Love) Food Wars!

**Just three more filler chapters, guys! And then, the big surprise will come! Oh, and this is kinda based off one of the storylines for the Tagforce game, so yeah.**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Elize! Elize! Get up! Get up!"

Yawning, Elize stretched her arms and blinked her eyes, seeing Blair trying to shake her over and over. "B-Blair...? What's going on...? What time is it?"

"6:00 A.M."

 _ **"WHAT?!"**_ Thanks to Blair's constant yelling, she had unintentionally woken up some of Elize's Duel Spirits, especially Hiita, who was always cranky whenever she never got her beauty sleep. _**"Then why the hell would she wake us up?!"**_

 ** _"Hiita! Calm down!"_ ** groaned Eria, not wanting to deal with her hot-tempered friend right now. _**"Let's just...head back to sleep..."**_

"Blair...? Not to sound rude...But why did you wake me up at a time like this...?" asked Elize, still groggy and now experiencing a headache. "It's Sunday..."

"I know! But I need you to listen, real quick!"

"Can I at least use the bathroom first...?"

"Sure!"

A few minutes later, Elize stepped out of the bathroom, having brushed her teeth and washed her face. A few droplets of water dripped from her front bangs as she tried drying her face with a towel.

"Okay, Blair. What is it you need?" the half-asleep girl asked, sitting down on a chair right next to Blair.

"Say, you good at any cooking?"

"Cooking? Well...I can boil some water and make some toast, but other than that, nothing. Why?"

"Aww! I really thought you were good at cooking!" complained Blair, disappointment written all over her face. "I need to learn how to cook for my lovely Zane! I'll be able to confess my love for him!"

"Um...Okay? But why do you need me? I don't really know how to cook!"

"Simple!" Blair chirped rather cheerfully. "I heard that Alexis wakes up early and likes to watch the sunset near the lighthouse! If we go there now, we can catch up to her and ask her how to cook!"

"Okay, but why do you need me?"

"Because, you're my bestie! And, I need encouragment from my bestie! ...Also, I'm a bit scared to go out on my own. It's dark out there, and who knows what things might come out!"

 _'So...Bascially, she wants me to lead her through the dark?'_ thought Elize, sweatdropping. Knowing that she wasn't one to turn down a simple request like that, she sighed and nodded. Besides, it was a Sunday, so she could get rest later today.

"Yay! Let's go! Let's go!"

Grabbing Elize's hand, Blair pulled her right out of their shared dorm room before shutting the door closed. Her heart beated the more she thought about how she was going to make food for her Zaney. Oh, how she wished she could see the happy look on his face once he gets the chance to eat her food!

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

"For God's sake, how long does it take for Alexis to get here?!" demanded Blair, tapping her foot impatiently while her arms were crossed. Elize was just sitting down, leaning against the lighthouse.

For a couple of hours, they waited for Alexis to show up once they were the first to make it to the lighthouse. Now, the sun was already up, and anyone who was awake at this hour was probably enjoying a late breakfast or an early brunch.

Blair was to throw in the towel when she spotted Miss Fonda Fontaine sweating while jogging on a rocky trail from a small hill. Seeing her made her remember a very important fact.

 _'Oh yeah! Miss Fontaine is in charge of managing the Obelisk Blue Girl's Dorm! She might know where Alexis is!'_ thought Blair. She cupped her hands together near her mouth and yelled as loudly as she could. "Oh, Miss Fontaine!"

Hearing her name being called, Fonda stopped and saw Blair and Elize near the lighthouse. Curious as to what they were doing, she ran towards them before stopping to catch her breath and drink from her water bottle.

"Whew...! Hello, Blair! Is that Elize over there?" panted Fonda, brushing any sweat off her forehead and neck.

"Yeah...Hold on, I'll go get her." Blair went to Elize and shook her shoulder. "Elize? Elize?"

"Zzzzzzzz..."

Blair's jaw dropped in shock before she began shaking her even more. "Dude, wake up! Wake up!"

"H-huh?" Elize let out a small yawn before standing up; her mind a bit hazy from her nap. Growing literally tired from waiting for Alexis's arrival, Elize decided that a little nap couldn't hurt. Besides, Blair could have always woken her up anyways. At least, that's what she thought at the time.

"How long were you asleep?!"

"Uh...I'm sorry, Blair. I was just...so tired. Why is Miss...Fontaine here?"

"Oh, I saw her jogging and I figured I could ask her something."

Elize nodded, her mind slowly registering Blair's words. "Okay...Just...Just give me a minute...I...*yawn*..." She stumbled a couple steps forward until she reached near Fonda with Blair right behind her. It was taking every bit of her strength to stay awake.

"Are you okay, Elize?" asked Fonda, a little worried for the girl.

"Yeah...Just a little tired. Go on."

Blair figured that her friend could use a breather and turned to the female teacher. "Okay! Teach, do you know anything about cooking?"

"Hmm? Well..." Fonda glanced at the clouds at the sky, pondering for a moment. "I guess I do know how to make a couple of dishes..."

"Good enough for me! Teach! Please teach me how to cook something delicious!" begged Blair, bending down on her knees. "I really want to cook for someone really special!"

Normally, in situations like this, girls would be the one asking for help. It was certainly a surprise to hear Blair, a male Slifer Red, to learn how to cook, or at least in Fonda's opinion. Oh well, everyone has their own unique tastes, and apparently, Blair must have had a sudden liking to cooking.

Fonda giggled, offering a hand to Blair, who took it. "Alright, I'll teach you a recipe. In fact, my secret special recipe is so good, it'll make the person who eats it fall in love with you! It's my special recipe! The Ultimate Love Recipe!"

"U-U-Ultimate Love R-RECIPE?!"

Okay, screw Alexis's help! Blair definitely wanted Miss Fontaine as her cooking teacher now! If she knows such a recipe, it'll be delightfully perfect to cook it and give it to her lovely Zane! Then, he'll fall in love with her and then the both of them can get married! It's the perfect plan!

Blair's eyes widened and glittered with joy as she squealed. "Miss Fontaine! Please, teach me! Teach me! Teach me! Teach me!"

Fonda chuckled, placing her hands onto the tomboy's shoulders. "Alright, alright! Settle down...I'll teach you, if you beat me in a duel. After all, if you don't work, you don't eat, right? So, you'll have to try your hardest to beat me!"

"Deal!"

"Um...If anyone asks, I'll be standing here," called Elize, backing away a little in order to get the two some space. Knowing Blair, she'll go nuts during the duel now that she has a reason to defeat Miss Fontaine.

"Ready, Blair?" Fonda attached her duel disk to her wrist and stood back for the duel.

"You've got it! Let the duel for love commence!" announced Blair, winking at Fonda after inserting her deck onto her duel disk.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Fonda - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Blair - 4000 LP**

"How about I go first?" asked Fonda, receiving a nod from Blair. "Okay, then! My draw! I summon Cure Mermaid in Attack Mode!"

Like any other mermaid, this one was as beautiful as the others; with her long, wavy blond hair and her red tail with shining scales that seemed priceless to others.

Cure Mermaid - (WATER/Fish) - LV4 - (1500/800)

"Next, I place a card facedown and end my turn."

"Not a bad field, but watch this!" said Blair, who drew her card. "I play Shining Angel in Attack Mode!"

Golden wings spread across, the figure revealed his figure as an angel who flew down from Heaven and onto the playing field, ready to embrace anyone that's good at heart.]

Shining Angel - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV4 - (1400/800)

"Now, I equip my Angel with United We Stand! He gains 800 Attack and Defense for every face-up Monster I control!"

Shining Angel - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV4 - (2200/800)

"I attack!"

"Not so fast!" shouted Fonda. "Go, Trap card! Gravity Bind! This Trap card makes it so neither of us can attack with Level 4 or higher Monsters!"

An invisible force field stopped Shining Angel and forced him to retreat back to Blair, seeing how he had no method of breaking down that barrier.

Blair nodded; as expected from an experienced full-grown duelist! No wonder Miss Fontaine was considered one of the best back in her old days. But, Blair too, wanted to be as strong as anyone on this island!

"Okay, fine! I set a card facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn! Draw!" Fonda seemed satisfied with the card she drew. "First, before I do anything, I activate my Cure Mermaid's special ability. During each of my Standby Phases, she can increase my Life Points by 800!"

 **Fonda - 4800 LP**

 **Blair - 4000 LP**

"Now, I summon Sangan in Attack Mode!"

A small, devilish being popped onto the field. Despite his small size, he was very dangerous and showed his sharp fangs and claws to prove how much of a danger he was despite his Attack and Defense Points.

Sangan - (DARK/Fiend) - LV3 - (1000/600)

"Hold on, I'm not finished! I activate two Equip Spell cards, which are both Axe of Despair! So, my Sangan gains 2000 Attack Points!"

Wielding two axes, one on each hand, Sanga squealed with joy at the immense amount of power he just received.

Sangan - (DARK/Fiend) - LV3 - (3000/600)

"3000 Attack Points?!" cried out both Blair and Elize together, shocked at the high level of power.

"Now, attack!" commanded Fonda. "Double Axe Attack!"

Sanga's malicious grin grew wider before he jumped up and threw his two axes at Shining Angel. Of course, Shining Angel tried to defend himself by shielding his body with his golden wings, but his defense was easily penetrated and he was destroyed.

 **Fonda - 4800 LP**

 **Blair - 3200 LP**

"I activate Shining Angel's special ability! When he's destroyed, I can Special Summon 1 LIGHT Monster as long as it has 1500 or less Attack Points! And it has to be in Attack Mode! So, I choose my ace Monster, Maiden in Love!"

The beautiful maiden emerged and bowed her petite head at her owner's opponents and her Monsters. While she may not seem harmless, she does look gentle and kind-hearted.

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Your ace Monster, huh? I can't wait to see what sort of ability she's got," admitted Fonda. "Alright, I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn, then!" Blair said, drawing her card. "Now, I activate my facedown card, Jar of Greed, letting me draw another card! Now I summon Royal Magical Library in Defense Mode!"

Bursting from the ground, the so-called Royal Magical Library happens to be a single Monster, but there were several aisles with several green magical spheres and robed figures taking the form of the Monster, so anyone could mistaken this as a Spell or Trap card.

Royal Magical Library - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (0/2000)

"Now I play Double Attack! By discarding a Monster to the Graveyard whose Level is higher than the Monster on the field I choose, that chosen Monster can attack twice! I choose Maiden in Love! Oh, and each time a Spell card is activated, I can place a Spell Counter on Royal Magical Library!"

While she said this, her Royal Magicial Library Monster brightened up and a blue orb floated above it, revealing to be the Spell Counter.

"Now, I play Cupid's Kiss from my hand and equip it to my Maiden in Love! You'll understand what the effect of that card does after I use it! But now, another Spell Counter goes onto Royal Magician Library!"

While a small cupid angel showered Maiden in Love with lots of heart-shaped kisses, the Royal Magical Library Monster glowed and formed another blue orb.

"I place one card facedown and activate the Spell card, Emergency Provisions! So, by sending my facedown card to the Graveyard, I gain 1000 Life Points! And, because it was a Spell card, my Royal Magical Library gains the third and last Spell Counter it needs!"

As Blair's body emitted with blue light from Emergency Provision's effect, the third blue orb shined above the Royal Magical Library.

 **Fonda - 4080 LP**

 **Blair - 4200 LP**

"You mentioned something about your Royal Magical Library gaining one last Spell Counter," reminded Fonda. "Just what are you planning, Blair?"

"This!" said Blair. "I activate Royal Magical Library's special ability! I remove 3 Spell Counters to draw a card!" After she drew her card, all three blue orbs hovering above the Monster vanished. "Now, I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards! I activate two Dian Keto the Cure Master cards restoring my Life Points by 1000! Or, 2000 in this case!"

 **Fonda - 4800 LP**

 **Blair - 6200 LP**

"And thanks to its special ability, Royal Magical Library gets two new Spell Counter!"

The Royal Magical Library used its magic to create two brand new blue orbs, thus resetting the process all over again.

"Now, I attack! Maiden in Love, attack Sangan!"

"What? But Maiden in Love has lower Attack Points! She'll lose!" said Fonda.

"Nuh-uh! Maiden in Love's special ability prevents her from being destroyed so long as she's in Attack Mode! Now, go!"

Maiden in Love took a deep breath and released her breath which took a gas-like form of a heart. Sanga easily swatted it away with his axes and counterattacked by slashing at her, causing her to gasp and fall on her knees.

 **Fonda - 4800 LP**

 **Blair - 3600 LP**

"I'm not done yet! Maiden in Love, attack once more!"

"But, Blair-"

"Just let me worry about my own Life Points! Attack!"

The small, petite lady rushed towards Sangan, trying to reach out and embrace the small Monster when he betrayed her love by hacking at her with his axes. It...was not pretty, that was for sure.

 **Fonda - 4800 LP**

 **Blair - 1000 LP**

"And now, the Equip Spell card I placed on Maiden in Love now activates!" sang Blair, winking. "Since my Maiden in Love first attacked, your Monster gained a Maiden Counter when you weren't looking! Now, because of Cupid's Kiss, if Maiden in Love battles a Monster with a Maiden Counter, and if I take damage, I get full control of that Monster!"

"What?!" exclaimed Fonda, surprised. "So that's why you deliberately took all those blows!"

"Exactly! Here goes! Maiden in Love, do your stuff!~"

Elize, already knowing what was coming, turned away and cowered behind her red hat out of embarrassment.

 _ **"Waaaah! Waaaah! Waaaah!"**_ Maiden in Love was kneeling on the ground, wailing loudly.

Feeling guilt and sorrow for the young maiden, Sangan sat next to Maiden in Love, releasing his grip on his two axes. _**"W-what's wrong?"**_

 _ **"I-*sniff* I just wanted to be your friend! But you keep hurting me over and over! It's not fair!"**_

 _ **"I...I'm sorry! I really am!"**_

 _ **"Really? Then, can you do me a quick favor?"**_ asked Maiden in Love, feeling cheerful again as Sangan entered Blair's side of the field.

 _ **"Anything to make it up to you!"**_

"Great! Sangan's finally on my side of the field!" said Blair. "And, my Battle Phase still hasn't ended yet! So, Sangan attack Cure Mermaid! Yeah!"

Maiden in Love turned to Sangan, nodding. _**"Go on. Just do what she says."**_

 _ **"Alright! Anything for my lovely Maiden in Love!~"**_

 _'Oh no! Due to my Gravity Bind, Monsters with Levels 4 or above can't attack! But Sangan is a Level 3 Monster! And he's even stronger than my Cure Mermaid!'_ thought Fonda, doing all the math in her head. _'Still, I'll still have some Life Points left!'_

Sangan didn't hesitate to slash the mermaid Monster into several pieces; anything for his Maiden in Love. He ignored the cries Cure Mermaid made when he destroyed her before returning to his beloved Maiden in Love's side.

 **Fonda - 3300 LP**

 **Blair - 1000 LP**

"With that, I'll end my turn," said Blair, sighing in relief. Finally, she managed to get a really tough Monster on her side of the field, but at the high cost of sacrificing her Life Points to do so. No matter, she had another means to recover her lost Life Points.

"My turn then, draw!" Fonda glanced at her hand, finding only one Monster card to play. The rest were just Spells and Traps not appropriate for this situation. "I...I guess I'll just summon Freya, Spirit of Victory in Defense Mode!"

A cheerleader Monster jumped onto the field, pumping her pom poms up and down and doing a small cheery dance to cheer up everyone's spirits.

Freya, Spirit of Victory - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV1 - (100/100)

"And then, I have no other choice but to end my turn!"

"My turn!" Blair drew her card and smirked at the card she drew. "This is it! I equip my Fairy Meteor Crush to Sangan! If he fights and destroys a Monster in Defense Mode, the difference between his Attack Points and the Monster's Defense Points are dealted straight towards your Life Points!"

"What?! My Freya only has 100 Defense Points! And, if Sangan has 3000 Attack Points..."

"That's right, Miss Fontaine! You'll only have like, 200 Life Points left! And, my Maiden in Love is still active for battle! Go on, the both of you! Finish her off!"

Sangan and Maiden in Love nodded to each other before the two of them held hands together, skipping forward to finish the job. Sangan let go of her for a moment before he slashed at Freya, destroying her and reducing Fonda's Life Points immensely. Maiden in Love was up next and her attack was a simple air kiss that hit Fonda and brought her Life Points to 0.

 **Fonda - 0 LP**

 **Blair - 1000 LP**

 **Winner: Blair**

"I did it! I won!" cheered Blair, jumping up and down.

Fonda let out a sigh, deactivating her duel disk. "Whew...the teacher lost...You're good, Blair! Guess I need to update my deck some more!"

"Thanks!" Blair nodded before walking up to the Obelisk Blue teacher. "Now, then! Please teach me the recipe! The Ultimate Love Recipe!"

"Okay, okay! But..." Fonda scratched her cheek lightly, sweatdropping. "Truth is...I kinda don't have an Ultimate Love Recipe. I just said that to boost my own morale up. Sorry."

"Whaaaaaat?! No fair!" complained Blair. So, the whole duel was a complete waste of time?! And Blair was so hyped up during the whole thing!

"H-hey! Don't worry! Now that I know how fully determined you are, I suppose I can teach you a couple of cooking skills," offered Fonda. "I might not cook all the time, but I'm still pretty good!"

"Really? That's great! Sweet!"

* * *

 _A couple days later..._

"Blair, I think you're stirring that too much!"

"No way! I'm fine! I don't wanna stir too slow!"

"I know, but-Elize! Your hands are red! Take a break from rolling the dough!"

"Thank you, Miss Fontaine! But, I'm fine, so don't worry!"

For the past few days, Fonda, as promised, was giving her cooking lessons to Blair and Elize in the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm kitchen. Normally, a boy wouldn't be caught dead in the Girls Dorm, but Blair was given special permission. Still, that didn't stop the suspicious glances at her direction. As for Elize, she chose to participate out of curiosity and a desire to cook.

Fonda was serving as the kindhearted cooking master, though she had some difficulty controlling the girls' behavior; mostly Blair. Blair kept making lots of mistakes during the cooking lessons, forcing her to restart her work. One time, she even lit fire on a boiling pot of water! As for Elize, she tried too hard and her red hands were covered in bandages from the cuts she received from trying to slice some vegetables up.

"I have to be right back," said Fonda, remembering a short errand she had to do. "So, please behave the both of you. Try not making a mess in the kitchen."

After watching her climb the stairs upstairs, Blair cautiously licked the tip of her wooden spoon, loving the sweet taste of the chocolate icing she helped make. "Mmm!" She scooped a bit more and licked some more, even accidentally spreading some on her lips.

"Blair, I don't think we're supposed to eat anything here," said Elize, rubbing her sore hands together.

"Oh, come on! I bet you wanna taste this just as much as I'm doing, right?" teased Blair, walking closer to her friend. She scooped a little bit of the chocolate before forcibly smearing some on her cheek.

"H-hey! That tickles!" Elize giggled, then use her finger to wipe the chocolate off her cheek. Curious, she placed her chocolate covered finger onto her mouth and started sucking. "Mmm! Tastes good!"

Blair grinned, placing her bowl down on the counter before grabbing a different bowl that was full of vanilla icing this time. "Try this one on for size!" As swift as a cheetah, Blair struck at Elize's other cheek with her vanilla-filled spoon before licking the spoon herself.

Elize swiped her vanilla-covered cheek with her finger and tasted the new icing. "Not bad." Wanting a bit of revenge, Elize picked a wooden spoon from one of the drawers, stuck it onto the chocolate icing, and tried jabbing Blair with it.

"Whoa! Oh, it's on!" Blair held her vanilla icing wooden spoon and clashed spoons with Elize, not wanting to lose. During their clash, some of the icing splattered all over their face and clothing, but they paid no heed to it.

Fonda returned within a few minutes and saw the messy states of both girls. "Hey! What did I say about no messes?"

Both Blair and Elize glanced at one another; frozen solid. Oops. Looks like they were busted.

"Well...the least you can do is clean up the mess you made." Fonda couldn't help but smile. They were still kids, after all. It's not everyday that you're engaged in a food fight. Besides, both looked like they were having a fun time.

* * *

 _A few days later..._

"Blair...we've been here for an hour...How do you even know Zane's gonna be here?" yawned Elize, leaning her head against Blair's shoulder. Both girls hid deep within some bushes, pushing aside a couple of leaves to clear their vision of the lighthouse nearby. It was early in the morning, like about 6:30, but there were some light in the middle of the darkness since the sun was nearly up and rising.

Blair seemed way too excited to be sleepy. "That's because of some info I collected! Don't worry! He'll be here! Shhh! I see...two people?"

Sure enough, Alexis was the first to enter the site of the lighthouse. Right next to her was Zane, the young teen whom Blair had a huge crush on. She nearly gave away their hiding spot, had it not been for Elize covering her best friend's mouth on time.

"Hmm? What's this?" wondered Alexis, spotting a box right next to the lighthouse. She picked it up and walked towards Zane. "I...I think it's for you, Zane. It is addressed to you."

"...Alright, I'll open it." Ripping apart the wrapping paper, Zane lifted up the box cover only to discover several chocolate bonbons and a note waiting for him on top of the chocolate sweets.

 _"Dear my lovely Zane!_

 _I'm so glad you found this note! I've been in love with you ever since we met at the Nationals! I can't stop thinking of you! Please accept my generous gift of sweets! I really worked hard on making them! ~From, your secret admirer, B.F. ~"_

"B.F.? I'm guessing those are her initials," muttered Zane before hanging the box to Alexis. "Here, you can have them, Alexis."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I forgot. You don't like really sweet stuff, do you , Zane?" Alexis said before taking one of the bonbons and chewing on it. "Mmm...It's a bit too sweet. Not bad, but not great either. You don't mind if I give these to Jaden and his other friends, do you, Zane?"

Zane shrugged. "Be my guess. I have to return back to my dorm anyways. I forgot to pick up my deck. See you later, Alexis."

"Okay. Man, Jaden's going to have a field day with these chocolates," said Alexis, glancing at the sweet desserts before sealing their goods with the box cover and walking away with Zane since they were heading in the same direction towards their intended locations.

Meanwhile, Elize was petting and rubbing Blair's back. Hearing and witnessing her crush reject her hard-earned chocolates like that...really put a shock on Blair's system.

"No...It can't be...I thought they were good enough!"

"I-it's okay, Blair! If anything, I liked your chocolates! Even though you did put too much sugar in them..."

"Grrrr! I'm not giving up!" shouted Blair, standing up with fire in her eyes as she clenched her fists together. "That's it! I'm gonna master more and more cooking! Then, Zane will have to love me! But first, my next mission!"

"A-and that is...?"

"I have to learn what his favorite food is! That way, I'll be able to cook it for him! Come on, Elize! You're helping me!"

"Ehhh?! Me?! Why me?!" whined Elize as she was forcibly being dragged away. "Well, at least I'll be getting a bit of exercise from this..."

Watching their young master's actions, Doriado and the other adult Spellcaster-type Monsters in Elize's deck sweatdropped from afar. They sometimes kept an eye on her when they weren't so busy with their duties in order to keep her safe.

 _ **"I shall never understand young girls with love towards older men,"**_ admitted Maha Vailo, turning away from the scene.

Understanding Maha Vailo's feelings perfectly, Doriado nodded. _**"I know...But it's good that Elize has at least a good friend her age, or at least, the same height together. Ever since she and Blair became friends, Elize has been happier."**_

 _ **"Yes. Blair may be stubborn and hot tempered at times, but she truly has a good heart,"**_ commented Mystical Elf. _**"I'm glad one such as her exists. Perhaps she'll be more help to Elize than she 's just hope for the best in the future."**_

Everyone nodded to each other before disappearing back to the Spirit World where they rightfully belong.

* * *

 **Hope you liked this fluffy chapter! I know I have! Also, sorry for the short duel but I was running out of ideas! See ya!**


	9. The Incident of the Missing Barrette

**Two more filler chapters and Elize will get a bit character development! After that, stuff will happen. What sort of stuff? You'll see!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Come on, Sy! Come on, Sy!" Jaden chanted to himself, hiding behind a few bushes and trees. The environment completely hid his entire body and gave him enough space to watch what Syrus and Elize were doing.

"Hahaha! And then, me, Jaden, and Bastion ended up in a sort of paint fight!" Syrus laughed happily, telling Elize about the time when he and Jaden agreed to help repaint Bastion's bedroom.

"Oh, okay! And, what happened next?" asked Elize, interested more and more about Syrus's tale.

"Well..."

"Jaden, what are you doing?" asked Alexis, walking up behind him.

"Shhhh!" Jaden glared at Alexis before turning back to Syrus and Elize.

"Are...Are you spying on them?" Alexis glanced at Elize and Syrus happily chatting with each other. They seemed to be having lots of fun. "Jaden! You can't just spy on people on that! Especially with your best friends!"

"But, I'm looking out for my bestie!" defended Jaden.

Alexis narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed before she grabbed Jaden by the back of his jacket and began dragging him away.

"Wait! You can't do this! SYRUS! GO GET THEM!"

"Um...Was that Jaden?" Elize asked to a red-faced Syrus.

"I...I...Um...So, anyways! I wanted to ask you something, Elize!' Syrus desperately tried to change the subject. "W-w-w-w-will you go on a...a...a...d-d-d-d-d-d-da-"

"ELLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYY!"

Blair dodged and ducked branches as she rushed towards Elize, nearly ramming into her. She seemed to have been running for a while, judging by how she was completely out of breath.

"Elly! Elly! I need your help! Please, please, PLEASE!"

"Blair! Calm down! What's wrong?" asked Elize, placing her hands on her shaken friend's shoulders as gently as she could.

"That stupid cat took my barrette!"

"Pharaoh?"

"Yes! That one! Damn that cat! Come on! I need your help! We gotta find that stupid cat!"

"H-hold on! I understand you're upset but-"

"Yes! I am upset! I need to find that cat!"

"Yes, but-"

"And then, KILL him!"

"Yes, well-Wait, what?!"

Then, a familiar yowling interrupted the two girls and caused them to turn around. Pharaoh the cat was leaping up and down as much as he could, trying to snatch a butterfly with his paws.

"GET THAT CAT!" yelled Blair, already rushing towards the cat with all her might. Noticing a rather angry-looking Slifer Red heading towards him, Pharaoh took the most logical choice in this matter and ran off.

"Oh no! Blair!" Worried that she might get in heaps of trouble, Elize followed after her. Knowing her, Blair could end up in trouble in more ways than one!

"..."

Syrus stood there, gaping over the whole situation as he witnessed everything. He was...SO CLOSE! He was definitely so close to confessing, when Blair just had to go and ruin everything!

"That's it! I will get a girl to date me by today!" he swore to himself before chasing after the trio who just left the field.

* * *

 _Much later..._

"Blair, I don't think we're supposed to be here!" said Elize, hiding behind her friend by holding onto her shoulders from behind. "This must be the Abandoned Dorm!"

Both of them managed to chase Pharaoh all the way inside an abandoned and broken down dorm that nobody was using. Some of the windows were stained and didn't have any glass, the rugs were full of dirt and dust, the curtains were torn up, and the floors were especially creaky, so even a tiny pin could be heard throughout each area.

Blair, who seemed much braver than she looked, decided to take the lead with Elize standing behind her all the way. So far, they managed to reach one of the upper floors of the dorm. "Trust me! This is just a dumb, ridiculous haunted house they show in the movies! In reality, nothing happens here! We'll just find the damn cat and get out of here!"

"B-but...What if somebody comes and finds us?"

"No need to fret!" assured Blair, puffing her chest out proudly. "If that happens, I'll be sure to-"

At that moment, a small mouse scurried past the girls' feet, causing the two of them to scream loudly. Their screams echoed throughout the whole dorm and a little far from the Abandoned Dorm.

One of the doors burst opened, and Chazz and Syrus popped out. They were just as shocked as each other when they heard the screams. Glancing down on both hallways, the two of them spotted the two girls and walked towards them.

"Hey! What are you two doing here?" demanded Chazz and Blair in unison.

"..."

"..."

"...I asked you first!" spoke Blair, pointing to Chazz.

"Fine! I wanted to take a stroll in the forest, and then this idiot-" He was addressing to Syrus. "-Happened to come across me and asked for my help in-"

"ANYWAYS!" Interrupted the blue-haired Slifer Red. "We should get out of here! If we're caught in here, we'll be in huge trouble! Students aren't allowed here!"

"See?! I told you we shouldn't have come here!" cringed Elize. "No barrette is worth this!"

"Shut up!" hissed Blair lightly.

"Hey, hold up!" said Chazz, stopping the two girls in their tracks. "Did...did you hear two girls screaming?"

"Huh? Screaming?" Blair wondered around, pretending to appear confused. "Nope! Nothing!"

"U-Um...Actually, I screamed. I uh...saw a mouse!" confessed Elize, raising her arm timidly.

"...No! I definitely heard TWO girls screaming!" Chazz suddenly gasped, then slammed his fist onto his open palm. "That's it! I figured it out! I know what you two are hiding!"

Both Blair and Elize glanced at one another, panicking. No! Chazz couldn't have found out about Blair's gender identity, right?! It was impossible! If he did, and actually told someone, they'd be in trouble!

"What do you mean, Chazz?" asked Syrus, not getting anything at all.

"These two kidnapped two girls, thus explaining the screaming!" explained Chazz, pointing to the accused. "So, they must be hiding them somewhere!"

"Hey, is this guy a total idiot or something?" whispered Blair directly to Elize's ear.

"HEY! I heard that! And I'm not moving a single step until you fess up!"

"Chazz, you can't just accuse someone without evidence!" pointed out Syrus, annoyed.

"Well, did you hear some girly screams?"

"Uh...yeah...?"

"Then, you're a witness, so, that means I have some proof!" Chazz whirled back to the girls and activated his duel disk. "Let's have a Tag Duel, then! If me and Syrus here wins, you gotta tell me the whole truth!"

"Wait, why am I involved?!"

"Duh! Who else is gonna be my partner?!"

Knowing that Chazz was blocking their only way out, as well as knowing that turning around would lead to a dead end, Blair and Elize had no choice but to comply. Everyone stood their ground and kept a distance from each other, ready to begin the duel.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Blair and Elize - 8000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Chazz and Syrus - 8000 LP**

"My turn! Draw!" Blair started off first, happy to have her ace Monster card drawn first. "I summon Maiden in Love in Attack Mode!"

A lovely girl that's wearing a puffy, bright-colored dress appeared, winking at her two male opponents and showing off a bit of her charm.

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Wow! She's pretty!" gasped Syrus, a pink blush forming onto both his cheeks. His blush intestified to red when he saw Maiden in Love winking at him, or was just his imagination?

"I thought you were all gaga over Red Hat Girl!" shouted Chazz, irritated by his tag partner's attitude. "First, you dragged me over to spy on them, and now this? Make up your mind already!"

"What?! You guys followed us?!" exclaimed Blair, stunned. "Damnit! Why did you do that?!"

"Blair? What are they talking about?" asked Elize, confused. "Are we still dueling or...?"

"Ugh! Never mind! I set two cards facedown and end my turn!"

"Fine, I'll make this fast!" said Chazz, who drew his card. "I summon Armed Dragon LV3!"

A small, yet tough-looking dragon that looked like an infant. Despite his cute looks, he was still as tough as a cookie and ready to commence the battle.

Armed Dragon LV3 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV3 - (1200/900)

"Next, I'll set a card and end!"

"O-okay...Then it's my turn?" Elize drew a card. "I...I'll summon Silent Magician LV0 in Attack Mode!"

A little child dressed in black and red robes clinged onto her staff protectively, wondering how she was going to defeat her opponents and hoping that they wouldn't strike back.

Silent Magician LV0 - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1000)

"Now, I'll place a card facedown and end."

"Wow! She's pretty cute!" blurted out Syrus, causing the said Monster to blush and turn away from the boy. "I-I mean, all girls are cute!"

"Oh! Thank you, Syrus!" said Elize, happy about the compliment. Even though she knew Syrus couldn't see Duel Spirits, she was still glad that he complimented her Monster, since she knew that she was cute, too.

"Hey! Quit stalling and just go! It's your turn!" reminded Chazz.

"Oh! Right! My turn! Draw!" After he drew his card, Syrus knew this was his turn to shine and prove to Elize just how good he was! "I summon Jetroid in Defense Mode!"

An animated jet-like robotic Monster flew around the area a bit before landing near his master's feet, kneeling down to brace for any attacks.

Jetroid - (WIND/Machine) - LV4 - (1200/1800)

"After that, I'll end my turn! And since everyone's gone past their turn, somebody can attack, right?"

"Yeah! That's part of the Tag Duel rules!" said Blair, nodding her head as she drew a card. "Now, I attack Jetroid with Maiden in Love!"

"Uh...Are you an idiot?" called out Chazz. "You can't do that because Jetroid has-"

"Hey! Is it your turn?"

"No, but-"

"And, Maiden in Love is MY Monster, right? So, I can do whatever I want with her...RIGHT?"

"Technically yeah, but-"

"Then, shut up about it and let me duel the way I want to, you emo!"

Chazz's eye twitched virgorously as he developed a sudden urge to strangle the petite student. Seriously, it was obvious by the angry expression he was trying hard to contain. A red aura filled his body, full of rage and revenge towards Blair.

"THAT'S IT! ARMED DRAGON LV3 ATTACK BLAIR!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Um...Chazz?"

"WHAT?!"

Hearing Chazz snap at her, Elize yelped and hid behind a rather amused-looking Blair, who found Chazz's hot-tempered moment to be quite entertaining. Silent Magician was literally shaking in her boots, silently wanting to leave just as much as her owner wants to as well.

"..."

"Uh...I just wanted to let you know that...uh..."

"Just tell me!"

"Waaah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" cried out Elize, cowering behind Blair even more.

"Hey!" Syrus shouted indignantly. "Don't yell at her like that, idiot!"

"Idiot?! Whose side are you on?! You're my tag partner!"

"Yeah, but I'm calling you an idiot because...because you are one! You can't attack during an opponent's turn! Even I know that much and I'm not that good with Duel Monsters!"

"I know that! It was worth a shot, though!"

"Hey, both of you!" called Blair, bringing up Syrus and Chazz's attention. "It's still my turn! I'm still gonna attack Jetroid with Maiden in Love! I don't care if I get damage, I'm doing it anyways!"

Knowing this was her cue, Maiden in Love let out small giggles as she rushed towards Jetroid, wanting to hug him. Syrus had long forgotten his anger towards Chazz as he awed at the adorable sight of a girl just wanting to hug someone. Unfortunately, Jetroid flew out of the way, causing Maiden in Love to trip and fall on her face.

 **Blair and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Chazz and Syrus - 8000 LP**

While Chazz seemed happy about the Life Point loss, Syrus began to berate his Monster, even though he wasn't really an actual living being, technically. "No! Bad Jetroid! All she was a hug! You don't refuse a hug from a cute girl!"

"Why did I agree to help this idiot?!" murmured Chazz, facepalming himself.

Jetroid seemed horrified at what he had done and flew over to Maiden in Love before landing besides her. _**"Oh no! Are you okay?!"**_

 _ **"Y-yeah...I'll be alright...Cutie!~"**_ Maiden in Love winked at Jetroid, causing the Machine-type to grin and nuzzled his nose against her cheek due to affection.

"Ugh...I'm surrounded by idiots," Chazz said, already gaining a headache from this duel. Syrus isn't very supportive in this duel, Elize is still the shy, stuttering girl she is, the Duel Spirits are already fallen for the enemy's Monsters, and, although he doesn't know that much about Blair, he already hates his guts!

"So, Blair! Why did you attack?" asked Syrus. "And why isn't Maiden in Love destroyed yet?"

"Maiden in Love can't be destroyed in battle as long as she's in Attack Mode," explained Blair. "Also, any Monster that attacks her gains a Maiden Counter!"

"What's a Maiden Counter?"

"You'll find out later! I'll end my turn!"

"Finally! It's my turn!" After Chazz drew, he smirked and said, "Now, I activate Armed Dragon LV3's special ability! During my Standby Phase, I can send him to the Graveyard and call forth Armed Dragon LV5 from my hand!"

A pillar of light shined upon Armed Dragon LV3 before he vanished completely. Taking his place, a buff-looking, and quite powerful Dragon-type emerged from the light.

Armed Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)

"Oh wait! One more thing!" called out Elize. "Because you drew a card, my Silent Magician gains 500 Attack Points and her LV increases each time you draw! So, please come out! Silent Magician LV1!"

The Silent Magician currently on the field closed her eyes as light enveloped her body and transformed her, making her taller and just a tad older. Yet, she remained as the timid individual as she is.

Silent Magician LV1 - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV1 - (1500/1000)

"That's not gonna matter! I play Pot of Greed and draw two more cards!" declared Chazz.

"At this moment, Silent Magician's effect activates!" said Elize. "Because you drew two more cards, her LV increases by 2 and she gains 1000 Attack Points!"

Growing from a young girl, Silent Magician transformed into a much older, feminine-looking person who's much more skilled with magic than she was in her first form.

Silent Magician LV3 - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (2500/1000)

"Doesn't matter to me anyways!" Chazz said. "First, I'm activating Giant Trunade, so everyone's Spells and Traps return to their hands!"

"Oh no!" cried out Elize as Blair simply gritted her teeth. Blair had been working up a strategy to protect Elize's Silent Magician using her facedown cards so that once she took over Syrus and Chazz's Monsters, she and Elize could deal huge amounts of damage to their opponents!

"Oh, I'm far from done! Lightning Vortex is next, and this card lets me destroy all the Monsters you guys have in exchange for discarding a card! I'll just discard Ojamagic and send it to the Graveyard!"

The moment Chazz discarded his chosen card, two bolts of lightning crashed down and accurately aimed for both Maiden in Love and Silent Magician LV3. Both female Monsters screamed from the sudden lightning bolts before they scattered into tiny bits.

"Silent Magician!" Elize stood, mortifed over the fact that one of her closest Duel Spirits was blown to pieces like that. Technically, this wasn't the first time Silent Magician's been destroyed, but that didn't mean Elize liked seeing her Monsters destroyed.

"Oh, come on!" complained Blair. All her efforts to get Jetroid on her side of the field...gone! All because the emo jerk decided to play that Lightning Vortex card! Damnit! Now she wasted Life Points for nothing!

"Nooo! Silent Magician! Maiden in Loooove!" Syrus sobbed comically. Jetroid was feeling the same heartache as his master, as evident from his continuous sobbing as well.

"Oh, grow up! The both of you!" yelled Chazz, having put up with Syrus and Jetroid's nonsense.

 _ **"That was awfully cruel of you, boss!"**_ said Ojama Yellow, appearing with his other two brothers in spirit form and shedding tears for the fallen female Monsters.

 _ **"Yeah! I can't believe you! Hurting two beautiful girls like that! Harsh, I say! Harsh!"**_ commented Ojama Green, further angering his owner even more.

 _ **"Even though they were your enemies, they didn't deserve to be zapped like that!"**_ Ojama Black voiced his opinion.

"Gaaah! I can't believe this! Is nobody on my side?!" growled Chazz, throwing his head back out of frustration.

"Um..." Elize raised her hand, feeling a bit sorry for Chazz since he just got told by his three Duel Spirits. "If it makes you feel any better, I think the move you played just now was pretty cool. I would have done the same, if we're being honest."

 _ **"Awww! A cutie is standing up for ya, boss! A girl, to be exact!"**_ Ojama Yellow cooed.

"And what's that supposed to mean?! Gah! Whatever!" Picking a card from his hand, Chazz showed it to Blair and Elize. "I'm now activating Level Up! I can now Special Summon 1 Monster from my hand or deck that's listed in Armed Dragon LV5's text, ignoring any Summoning conditions! In exchange, all I gotta do is place my Dragon in the Graveyard! So now, I'm summoning Armed Dragon LV7!"

Armed Dragon LV5 growled as he simply disappeared from the field. Stomping his foot onto the field, Armed Dragon LV7 took form and rose to the challenge in defeating his enemies.

Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (2800/1000)

"Next up, a direct attack!" announced Chazz, pointing at Blair. "Since both of you are completely defenceless, you'll both be suffering 2800 Points of damage! Armed Dragon LV7! Attack dire-"

"Hey! I think I hear voices!" a man's voice interrupted the duel, causing everyone to freeze in their places.

"What? Nobody's allowed inside the Abandoned Dorm but us, the Disciplinary Action Squad!"

"Crap!" hissed Chazz, realizing what the squad's intentions are. He turned off his duel disk before going around, forcibly deactivating everyone else's duel disks despite their questionable looks. "Look, we gotta move! Now! If those guys find us, we'll be expelled!"

"What?! Expelled?!" exclaimed Blair before covering her mouth.

 **THACK!** "You IDIOT!" Chazz hissed, hand-chopping Blair on the head so hard, it would cause a bump to appear later.

"Yeah! I definitely heard something!"

"Maybe somebody's on the upper floors!"

"Disciplinary Action Squad, charge!"

"Quick! A room! We'll hide in here!" whispered Syrus, pointing to a different room whose front door was wide open. Once everyone was inside, Syrus shut the door and placed a chair underneath the doorknob so nobody could get in.

"That's not gonna last long! They're going to be checking every room!" pointed out Chazz.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!" muttered Blair, freaking out. Not only were they going to be in huge trouble, but expelled as well?! That's worst!

"What do we do?! What do we do?! What do we do?!" wondered Elize, pacing back and forth, panicking all over.

Chazz spotted an old wooden window that was half opened. He pushed it all the way up and glanced down. "Okay, here's the deal. We're going to jump."

"What?! You want us dead rather than expelled?!" cringed Syrus, horrified at the thought of rather taking the hard way out.

"No, stupid! It's not even that far down! We're like, one story off! Besides, there are plenty of bushes below that'll soften our fall! It'll be fine!"

"But-!"

"Just do it!" Knowing that Syrus was probably too chicken to try it out, Chazz yanked on his sleeve, grabbed his hips, lifted him up, and shoved him straight out the window.

"Aaaaaaahhh-" **THUD!** Just as Chazz said, the numerous bushes saved his life, though his clothes and hair were packed with leaves and a few twigs. Nothing he can't brush off, though. "Hey, I'm alright!"

"Alright, one of you has to go next," said Chazz, crossing his arms. "So...Red Hat Girl! You're next!"

"Wait, what?!"

Syrus lightly gasped, thinking this was his moment to shine. If he managed to catch Elize in his arms, she'll surely fall for him! And then, they'll get married, have kids, and all that sort of stuff! He stood on top of the bushes, reaching his arms out to catch his crush in need.

"Hey, Chazz!" spoke up Blair.

"Hmm? What now?"

"What's that behind you?"

"What are you talking about? I don't see-"

After Chazz's back was turned, Blair used all of her strength to push Chazz out of the window. His enraged screaming was enough to send chills down everyone's spines. Blair knew that she was gonna get it once she jumps down, but at least for now, she seemed satisfied.

While Syrus had been standing there, he did not expect Chazz to be the next one falling down quite forcibly. Not only that, but he also didn't anticipate how heavy the black-haired teen would be! Syrus's back bones nearly broke because of his weight!

"Damn that Blair...!"

"Ow...My back..."

"Let's hurry!" said Blair, turning to Elize and growing frightful of being caught by the Disciplinary Action Squad. Both braced themselves for impact before jumping down, one by one. They landed in different portions of the bushes, though not too far from Chazz and Syrus.

"YOU!" Chazz grabbed at Blair's jacket, lifting her up easily off the ground. "I've got so much to say to-"

Without warning, Elize charged towards Chazz and kicked him in the shin as hard as she could. Chazz howled in pain, dropping Blair as he tended to his leg. Both Blair and Syrus' jaws dropped; not expecting Elize to actually harm someone.

"Let's get out of here!" Elize said, shaking Blair's arm to help her recover from her shock. Both girls headed deep towards the forest, where Elize called out as loud as she could. "I'M SORRY!"

"C-Chazz?" Syrus slowly walked towards the teenager, not wanting to be hollered as well. "Are you okay?"

"Damnit...This is nothing!" Chazz stood up, though a bit wobbly thanks to Elize's hard efforts in injurying his leg. "Those two were just lucky! I'm not giving up! Those two must have still have that kidnapped girl! And I'll uncover the truth in the name of the great detective, Chazz Princeton!"

"...Chazz, do you even have proof that they even kidnapped someone?" questioned Syrus, getting a little annoyed by Chazz's random accusation.

"Not yet! But I will find out!"

* * *

 _Later, deep within the forest..._

"That was too close!" sighed Elize as she and Blair kept walking down a road, pushing past branches that stood in their way. They had been trying to locate their dorm for a while, and so far, no luck.

"Yeah...I hate to admit it, but we would have stood no chance against Chazz's Armed Dragon," sighed Blair. "Man! I gotta update my deck more if I'm going to face guys like him again!"

"You weren't that bad," Elize tried to encourage. "I mean, you made some errors here and there, but I think our Tag Dueling strategy would have worked if he didn't activate that Lightning Vortex. I feel like I was the one letting you down, though..."

"You were pretty good too, with that Silent Magician ability and all," said Blair, trying to cheer up her friend.

"Thanks, I guess."

"...So, my offer's still up for trading that Silent Magician for-"

"I'm not trading her!"

'Yup. Figures."

* * *

 **Finished! Just a fun fact: If they had kept dueling, Syrus and Chazz would have won eventuallly.**

 **Read and review and if you have any other ideas, please tell me!**


	10. Beginning of the End

**Hello, folks and welcome to a new chapter! In this chapter, it's a surprise guest dueling today! You'll see!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Go! Armed Dragon LV5! Attack her Wynn!" ordered Chazz, engaged with a duel against Elize. On his side was Armed Dragon LV5, and on Elize's side was Armed Dragon LV3 and Wynn the Wind Charmer, who was controlling Armed Dragon LV3 thanks to her Flip Effect.

Wynn stood no chance against the much more powerful dragon, as she was quickly crushed by one stomp. Overwhelmed by the force implanted from the attack, Elize was thrown back and landed on her back as her Life Points dropped to 0.

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Chazz - 2900 LP**

 **Winner: Chazz**

"Ow..." Elize murmured, sitting up as she rubbed her back. Seeing Chazz walking up to her, Elize tried to congratulate him. "Um...Congratulations, Chazz! You beat me, and-"

"Yeah, yeah. Save it. Lemme see your hand." Kneeling down, Chazz then swiped away Elize's cards in her hands before checking them all. "You idiot! Why didn't you play Blizzard Princess in one of your previous turns?! Or-Or maybe this card! All you had to do was sacrifice a few Monsters!"

Elize flinched before looking down at her lap. "I-I'm sorry...I just thought...I could try this by my own dueling style..."

"Yeah? Well, your dueling style sucks, if you ask me!" said Chazz, throwing her cards down.

"Chazz! That's enough!" shouted Alexis, having witness the entire duel. "Okay, she lost, but that doesn't make it right for you to scream at her face! Everyone has their own dueling styles!"

"No, wait Alexis!" cried out Elize, looking up to face Alexis. "It was my fault, so please, just stop..."

Before Alexis or Chazz could say anything, Blair entered the Dueling Arena, panting. "Oh! There you are, Elize! I need to talk to you! Like, now! It's a emergency!"

"Um...Okay?" Elize quickly gathered up the cards Chazz had tossed and scattered all over the floor before she bowed to her opponent. "I'll s-see you later, Chazz! Oh! You too, Alexis!"

"Hey, wait!" called Chazz as Elize hurried to Blair's side. "I've got questions about that other night! Where did you keep the kidnapp-"

"Oh, look at the time! We're leaving!" spoke Blair too quickly and rather rudely. She grabbed Elize's wrist and dragged her along as Elize tried to wave goodbye to Alexis and Chazz before the two of them were out of sight.

Alexis glared at Chazz, crossing her arms. "You know, maybe you should be a little bit more nicer to Elize? That way, she'll get a little bit better at dueling?"

"Oh, come on! I was taught in a strict manner when I first started to learn dueling! If I got strong by that way, I'm sure Red Hat Girl could get just as strong as me by that method. Who cares about how hurt her feelings are? She'll get over it!"

The Obelisk Blue girl sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah? Well, not everyone is like you, Chazz."

* * *

 _Back inside the Slifer Red dorm rooms..._

Right after Blair dragged Elize all the way back to their shared room, Blair took extra caution to locking the doors, flipping on the light switches, and even locking the windows before closing them off with the curtains. Once she completed these tasks, Blair began pacing back and forth, looking rather nervous as she muttered the words, "Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no..."

Worried for her, Elize decided that some water would be good for Blair right now. She unzipped her backpack and took out a water bottle before opening the cap and placing it on the small table she was sitting by. "Um...Blair? Please calm down and drink some water."

"Y-yeah...Water's good! Yeah!" Still shaking, Blair sat down right in front of Elize and started gulping down the water bottle, taking a few breaths before continuing her drink. It wasn't until she completely finished the bottle that she calmed down.

Elize was still wondering what Blair wanted to talk about, but for now, she had to make sure her best friend was alright. "Er...You okay, Blair? I mean, it looked like you were about to pass out or something."

"I'm okay, thanks." Blair released a loud sigh, relaxing her shoulders. "...I saw my parents today."

"Huh? How? I thought parents weren't allowed on the island!"

Blair shook her head. "Well, I mean, parents are allowed as long as they make an appointment. Or, at least that's what I heard. Anyways, I saw them walking down the hall, but I managed to hide before they could see me. I mean, I don't think they could have recognized me at first since I look like a boy, but just in case, I hid. Anyways, I followed them secretly to see what they were up to and eavesdropped on their conversation with Chancellor Sheppard."

"What did they say?" asked Elize.

"Well, they seemed to figure out that I was here and they're looking for me! They asked the Chancellor about me, and all he could say was that I was a male student, not their daughter. I just know they're gonna figure out where I am soon! Gah! I never expected this!"

"Well, what are you going to do?"

"...There's no other way," said Blair, standing up with conviction. "The only reason why I came to Duel Academy was to confess my love for Zane, and that's what I'm going to do! After that, well, I did promise to turn myself in and reveal my gender, so...Yeah..."

"...Oh, okay then..."

Both girls fell into silence, not bothering to look at one another. They knew what was about to come after Blair does what she came here to accomplish. She'll return back home with her parents since she'll be kicked out of Duel Academy due to being underaged. It wasn't fair to them, but it was absolute. They may never see each other again.

All their times together, their memories, their duels, everything they spent together on would soon be drawing to a close.

"But, hey! It's not so bad!" laughed Blair weakly. "I mean, there are hundreds of people with the name 'Blair.' Maybe we'll get lucky and my parents will leave without suspecting a thing!"

"Y-yes, of course!" Elize nodded, managing to give her friend a smile.

Even so, deep down, they knew that life was not that simple. All things must come to an end.

"Hey, so I'm gonna take...a walk! Yeah!" announced Blair, standing up and walking towards the door. "So...I heard we're gonna have the whole monthly exam and field test tommorow, right? I hope you win the duel this time."

"Huh? Yeah, I hope you do too."

Blair nodded her head before opening the door and closing it behind her, leaving Elize all alone by herself. Letting out a small groan, Elize laid her head on the table for a moment before standing up to fetch her duel disk and deck.

"I better start practicing...And I might need Chazz's help..."

* * *

 _Later..._

Locating Zane in the entire huge island proved to be a much more difficult task than expected. Blair searched all possible places where he could be; near the lighthouse, the card shop, the cafeteria, and even the Obelisk Blue dorms! Well, she tried, but the Obelisk Blue scum refused to let her in, and sneaking into his room again would not only be asking for trouble, but risky as well.

While Blair tried thinking of another place to check out, she heard faint explosives nearby, which could only mean that a duel was happening possibly in the Duel Arena. A thought occured to her. What if it was Zane dueling right now?

Blair wasted no time arriving at the Duel Arena, which proved her thoughts exactly right when she saw a duel commencing. Unfortunately for her, it wasn't Zane who was dueling, but to her surprise, it was Chazz and Elize clashing against one another. Perhaps she should rest for a while and watch the duel.

 **Chazz - 3100 LP**

 **Elize - 1600 LP**

On Chazz's side of the field, his Monsters were Ojama Yellow and Ojama Green in Defense Mode, and Armed Dragon LV7 in Attack Mode.

Ojama Yellow - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Green - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (2800/1000)

For Elize's side of the field, the only Monster she had out in Defense Mode was Miracle Flipper. Plus, she had a facedown card on the field.

Miracle Flipper - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (300/500)

"I'll end my turn with a facedown card," said Chazz. "Now, hurry up and show me what you're capable of! And this time, you better show some improvement and start sacrificing or else!"

Taken aback by his threat, Elize sweatdropped. "Um...okay? I'll...Maybe I'll try?" She drew her card and held up it up. "I summon Maha Vailo in Attack Mode!"

A dark robed man with two red crystal gems dangling on his sharp scythe-like wings appeared. His composure was completely calm and still, as if he was a statue himself.

Maha Vailo - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1550/1400)

"Seriously? Attack Mode? Look, I get that he's strong, but my Armed Dragon's even stronger!" reminded Chazz. "You do realized that you made a really grave mistake?"

"Well...He can still destroy one of your Ojamas."

 _ **"HAVE MERCY!"**_ pleaded both Ojama Green and Yellow, hugging each other tightly.

Elize sweatdropped and awkwardly waved at the two brothers. "Um...I'm sorry this had to happen?"

"Forget about those idiots! You're still missing one important fact!" Chazz said. "Even if you destroy one of those idiots, on my next turn, my Armed Dragon's coming after your Monster! If you want to pass your field test tommorow, at least think a little before you act!"

 _ **"Er...You're one to talk, boss!"**_ said Ojama Yellow.

 _ **"Yeah! Last time you faced Jaden, he kinda teased ya, and you lost your temper! That's kinda why you lost!"**_ added in Ojama Green.

"I swear, I will bury you guys in Pharaoh's litter box!" grumbled Chazz.

 _ **"Eek! We'll shut up now!"**_ both Ojama brothers promised, not wanting to spend another moment with the devil cat.

"Um...I understand what you're trying to get at, Chazz. Even so, I'm still going to attack. Maha Vailo! Please attack Ojama Green!" commanded Elize.

Maha Vailo raised his arms to gather electricity before unleashing it in the form of several thunderbolts that attacked and destroyed Ojama Green.

Chazz wasn't surprised that one of his weak Monsters got destroyed so easily. "Alright, now it's my turn, right?"

"Y-yes...I suppose..." said Elize, her shoulders slumped.

"I draw!" Chazz looked at his hand and showed one of his cards to Elize. "I play Level Copy, which Special Summons 1 LV Monster from my hand or deck that has the same name as Armed Dragon LV7. So rise, 2nd Armed Dragon LV7!"

The mighty dragon rose from the ground and roared in unison with his other twin. With both powerful beasts on board, nothing could stop them now.

"Now I activate Armed Dragon LV7's special ability! By sending a Monster from my hand to the Graveyard, all Monsters with equal or less Attack Points than the Monster I just discarded are automatically destroyed! I discarded Giant Rat, and he had 1400 Attack Points! Maybe your Maha Vailo can't be destroyed, but it's a different story for Miracle Flipper!"

Elize gasped when Miracle Flipper suddenly went out with a big bang quite literally. The only Monster left defending her was Maha Vailo, but she knew she stood no chance against the two dragons Chazz controlled. It was over for her.

"See, this is what happens when you get cornered like this," told Chazz, his arms crossed. "Look, I'm getting hungry, and I just want to wrap this up. So, I'll activate my facedown card, Ring of Destruction! I target one Monster on the field and destroy it, then both of us receive the same amount of damage equal to that Monster's Attack Points! And since my Ojama has no Attack Points, I'm choosing my Armed Dragon LV7 just for the heck of it!"

"You're destroying your own Monster? But why?" wondered Elize. "Oh wait...Maha Vailo has 1550 Attack Points, and my Life Points are at 1600. That wouldn't be enough to completely defeat me."

"Glad you know your algebra, Red Hat Girl!" said Chazz as his dragon was convulsing and glowing, ready to explode in a few more seconds. "So, Armed Dragon LV7 goes bye-bye, as well as your Life Points!"

"Wait! I activate my facedown card, Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment!" shouted Elize as her facedown card revealed itself. "The damage I take from card effects is 0 until the end of your turn!"

"OH, FUC-"

 **BOOM!** Armed Dragon LV7 instantly detonated like an actual bomb, and thanks to Chazz's Trap card, Chazz's own Life Points blasted off and decreased immensely. However, Elize was completely protected by a magical circle beneath her feet, which held up an invisible shield and protected her Life Points.

 **Chazz - 300 LP**

 **Elize - 1600 LP**

"Shit!" cursed Chazz, looking at his Life Point gauge. "I should have attacked when I had the chance!"

 _'Alright! Now Chazz's Life Points are nearly at 0!'_ thought Blair happily. _'Ha, way to be careless, Chazz! This was definitely the break Elize needed! Hope she finishes him off next turn!'_

"Um...are you okay, Chazz?" asked Elize.

"...Ecstatic," mumbled Chazz. "But, I'm not done! Next, I equip Megamorph to my other Armed Dragon LV7! Since my Life Points are lower than yours, his Attack Points double!"

Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (5600/1000)

Elize gasped, stumbling back once she heard the mighty dragon roar with excitement since his power doubled. If Chazz attacks, not only will Maha Vailo be destroyed, but that'll be more than enough to wipe her Life Points out! She can't block the next attack!

"Go, Armed Dragon LV7! Finish Maha Vailo off!"

Armed Dragon LV7 threw his head back, preparing to fire a blast worthy of a dragon's breath attack. Maha Vailo flew towards the air to divert the dragon's attention to him instead so that the dragon wouldn't also target Elize since she was in the same grounds as he previous was. Maha Vailo tried to at least make the fight worthy while by casting his most powerful lightning attack at Armed Dragon LV7, but even his spell couldn't block out the dragon's breath attack, so he was engulfed by it and destroyed without a single trace left.

 **Chazz - 300 LP**

 **Elize - 0**

 **Winner: Chazz**

Chazz demilitarized his duel disk, watching as Elize sighed at her loss. "I know you had Monsters you could sacrificed for even stronger Monsters! For God's sake, stop worrying! Monsters are meant to be sacrificed! I mean, you saw me sacrifice Ojama Black during the duel!"

"I...I'm sorry! I just can't bring myself to do it!" said Elize, shaking her head.

"...Whatever! If you don't want to sacrifice your Monsters, that's fine! Just remember that every duelist has a backup plan! Like I just did when my Ring of Destruction plan failed!"

"Okay then...Um...Chazz? Thank you for dueling with me, even though I lost and all..."

"Whatever. If you keep this up, you're guaranteed to fail the field test tommorow! Don't be such a whiner and just do what's necessary to win!" advised Chazz before stomping away in a bad mood.

"..." Elize just slipped her duel disk off her arm and took her deck away from it, staring at her cards remorsefully before placing them in her back pocket.

Blair wanted to go over there and comfort her friend, but held herself back. She felt that she needed some time to get over what Chazz harshly told her. Even if Chazz was telling the truth, Blair wanted to run over to him and slap him silly. She knew that Elize was sensitive, and while she might seem alright, she's really not on the inside. It was probably best to leave her be and continue searching for Zane. Maybe she'll check up on her later.

* * *

 _Later..._

Elize was still a little bit troubled over what Chazz said before. She wasn't sure if she could convince herself to sacrifice her Monsters. She already knew sacrificing them for stronger Monsters would be good in a duel, but still, sacrificing her friends for more Monsters didn't seem...right to her.

The Slifer Red girl was walking down the direction towards her dorm, carrying a small bag full of few card packs that she bought from Dorothy back in the card shop. In fact, there was only a few left since all of the others were taken away by many students for the field test tomorrow. She was lucky to get a few at all.

On her way, she saw Alexis carrying a textbook in her arms, seemingly heading for the Slifer Red dorm. "Alexis!" Elize called, running up to the older teenager. "Can I...walk with you back to the Slifer Red dorms?"

"Sure! I don't mind at all!"

While the two girls kept walking down the path, Elize couldn't help but feel relaxed and happy around Alexis. Alexis had this sort of aura that came out as strong, confident, yet kind. Not only that, but she's the most beautiful girl in all of Duel Academy. Elize felt a little envious towards her beauty, yet respects and admires her strong dueling spirit. Also, she acts sisterly towards Elize, making her happy.

"Alexis? May I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?"

"Why are you heading towards the Slifer Red dorms? You're an Obelisk Blue, aren't you?" Realizing how wrong that sounded, Elize quickly tried to back that up. "I-I mean, there's nothing wrong with that! I'm not saying that you aren't allowed or anything! I'm sorry!"

Alexis smiled. "Oh, no. I totally get you. No need for apologies. I just came to return Syrus's textbook. I left mine back in my room today and Syrus lend me his, so I wanted to go return it back to him."

"Oh, that's real nice of you, Alexis!"

"Thank you."

The two of them began chatting with one another, discussing about how today went for them or if anything interesting picked up. If anyone could see them now, they would see two close friends, or sisters enjoying each other's companies.

"So...I heard that you've been dueling a lot for the field test," spoke Alexis, sounding impressed. "That's pretty good, if you ask me! After all, people do say practice makes perfect!"

"Mmm hmm. I've seen you duel too, Alexis. Um...I think that you'll do really great in the field test tommorow! I uh...hope you do your best!"

"Yeah, you too!"

"..."

"..."

"...A-Alexis? Can I ask you something?" Elize's tone grew quiet, much more quieter than usual, but no more than a whisper.

"Okay. What's up?"

"So uh...Say that there's this friend I have. She has a bad temper, but she's real nice and cheerful and always cheers me up," explained Elize. "One day, this friend has to move away somewhere far away where I might never reach her. Once she finished accomplishing her goal, she has to leave and...yeah."

"Well, I don't really know," admitted Alexis. "I've never been in that predicament before, so I wouldn't know."

"Oh, right! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to put you in a difficult position!"

"No, it's fine."

"..."

"..."

"...This friend didn't do a-a-anything bad, y-you know," continued Elize, her voice trembling and filled with pain. "She has a few bad habits, b-but everyone has bad habits. She's calls herself a maiden in love, and she learned cooking just to cook a meal for someone she really likes. She shares whatever notes I missed during class, and we work together on our homework even though we get a few questions wrong. She stands up to bullies for me and helps me through situations like that. We share makeup and books and sometimes clothing. We trade cards and duel at times. One of her favorite foods are Mac and Cheese and her favorite books are romance novels. I'm a little bit older than her, but we're still best friends and...and..."

"Elize?" Alexis opened her mouth, ready to ask her what the point of telling her all this was. Immediantly, she shut it close when she saw Elize trying, and failing to hold back her tears.

"*sniffle* I DON'T WANT HER TO LEAVE!" screamed Elize, huge teardrops dripping out of her eyelids and streaming down her red cheeks. "I wanted to keep spending time wi-*hic* with her! Now she'll be leaving soon and I can't do a thing to stop her! We don't even have cell phones and we can't call each other and we can't send letters! *sniffle* *sob* Everyone else is kind and good and I like them, but...but my friend's different! She-*sob*she was the first true best friend I ever had! I know I- *hic*I'm acting selfish but right now, I don't care! I JUST WANNA SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER!"

Alexis stood there; her task already forgotten and replaced with Elize's outburst. Touched and feeling sympathetic, Alexis couldn't stop the flow of tears running down her face. She stepped forward and embraced Elize closely, allowing her to cry as much as she needed to.

Clearly, Alexis wasn't going to question who this friend was, but she knew Elize needed some comforting right now. This friend must have been a good, supportive friend towards her, and right now, Alexis was going to support Elize since she needs it the most.

* * *

 _Late that night..._

Elize was laying on her bed with cards and empty card packs scattered all around. She spent a few hours working on organizing her deck for the field test tommorow since she wants to stay in good shape.

After her crying episode, Alexis stayed with Elize for dinner, ignoring all the lecherous gazes bestowed upon the Obelisk Blue beauty. The two didn't bother bringing up the subject of Elize's friend, for fear that Elize might start bawling once again. Instead, they chatted about girl things like makeup or clothing choices.

Once Alexis left for the night, Elize cut open her card packs and examined each card to see which ones would fit in her deck, while the others would stay in her small box of unused cards. She seemed about finished when she glanced at the clock, which read 12:50.

Yawning, Elize flipped the switches off and allowed the darkness to flood the room before she climbed onto bed and drifted off into sleep, not bothering to change out of her Slifer Red uniform.

* * *

 _In the Spirit World..._

 _ **"Why don't we poke her with a stick?"**_

 _ **"I'm sure she'll wake up if we yell in her ear!"**_

 _ **"That's rude! You shouldn't do that to a girl!"**_

Fluttering her eyes open, the first thing Elize saw was a luminated cavern with several stalagmites surrounding the area. She sat up and stretched her limbs, glancing around to find several familiar Duel Monsters surrounding her with curiosity and slight fear in their eyes.

To normal humans, they would have freaked out and ran away for their lives. However, Elize, who grew up with her own Duel Spirits, wasn't the least surprised to find so many surrounding her. The question was, why were they?

"Um...Hello," said Elize waving her hand to some of them. The Duel Spirits shrinked back, frightened by her friendly gesture even though it was meant to be harmless.

 _ **"You're awake? Good."**_

Looking up, Elize saw a tall masked man with long, flowing red hair with his arms crossed over his jacket. To others, he may seemed like an oddly dressed man, but Elize could instantly tell that he was a Duel Spirit.

"Excuse me, mister?" started Elize, standing up straight. "Where are we exactly?"

 _ **"You're in the Spirit World. Don't worry. Your real body's safe and sound."**_

"I'm sorry; I don't know what you mean."

 _ **"Humans like you are very rare. When one has the ability to see Duel Spirits, they can travel to the Spirit World sometimes. Usually in their sleep where their real bodies are safe and unharmed. Or, humans can arrive here by force if under the influence of a strong Duel Spirit like me. That's right, I brought you here."**_

"Huh? Okay, but why? What do you need me for?"

 _ **"I want to test you in a duel,"**_ said the mysterious Duel Spirit as a duel disk magically appeared on his arm. _**"I can sense hesitation and fear in your heart. I want to erase those negative emotions and teach you a lesson you won't forget anytime soon."**_

"But wait!" said Elize. "I have no reason to duel you!"

 _ **"True, but I was the one who brought you here. You can't leave until I, or another powerful being, approves of your return home. If you don't duel me, you'll be stuck here, FOREVER."**_

"Uh...Okay!" A little scared at his low, threatening tone, Elize tried searching left and right for a duel disk and a deck. "Mister? How am I supposed to duel without a deck or duel disk?"

 _ **"Just pull your arm outward and imagine your own duel disk and deck being there."**_

Elize did as she was told, and sure enough, a different duel disk with a deck attached to her arm. She took out the deck and looked at some of the cards, recognizing them as her own.

 _ **"Now that that's done, let's get this show on the road,"**_ said the Duel Spirit, turning around and backing for distance. _**"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. I am Kaibaman!"**_

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Kaibaman! My name is Elize! I hope we have a good duel."

 _ **"Likewise. Now, LET'S DUEL!"**_

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

"My turn! Draw!" said Elize, holding up six cards in her hands. "...I set a Monster facedown and a card facedown before I end my turn!"

 _ **"My move!"**_ Kaibaman said, drawing his card. _ **"Perfect! I summon Kaibaman! That's right! I summoned myself!"**_

Another being looking identical to Kaibaman appeared, all confident and ready for battle.

Kaibaman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV3 - (200/700)

Elize sighed, trying to stay calm. _'It's alright. My facedown is Mystical Elf, and her Defense is way higher than Kaibaman's Attack Points. I'm sure I can last this long and deal some damage to Mr. Kaibaman.'_

 _ **"Now Kaibaman's special ability activates! By sacrificing him, I can summon from my hand...the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"**_

"Wait, what?!"

The Kaibaman Monster on the field lit up and vanished before a monstrous being took his place. It took an earth-shattering step forward with its sharp claws, released a growl from its white fangs, its white, silvery scales glimmered, and its piercing, dark blue eyes stared down at Elize as if she was nothing but prey.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV8 - (3000/2500)

Elize has heard many tales all throughout her life, about how Blue-Eyes White Dragon is one of the most powerful creatures in Duel Monsters and how Seto Kaiba is the only one who owns all three copies of it. They were the signature card of his deck, but...to think someone else other than Seto Kaiba owns such a rare dragon...

She took a deep breath and let it out to relax herself. "Um...Mr. Kaibaman? Can I ask a question? I know it might seem...rather impossible, actually, but are you actually-"

 _ **"Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Attack her facedown Monster with White Lightning!"**_

Snarling as it gathered energy inside its jaws, Blue-Eyes White Dragon stared down at its new target with its blue eyes. Once charged up, the mighty dragon released an electrical charged beam at its target. However, the beam's power seemed to be a bit overkill, since it not only destroyed the intended target, but also sent Elize flying and landing near a river due to the gravitational force of the beam's overwhelming power.

Groaning in pain, Elize stood back up, though her back hurted. "I'm alright!" she called, winching.

Kaibaman nodded and said, _**"I set a card facedown and end my turn. Now, show me what you can do!"**_

"Yes, M-Mr. Kaibaman! I draw!"

 _ **"At this moment, I activate my continuous trap card, The Eye of Truth! Here's how it goes! As long as this card's active, you must keep your hand revealed, and during each of your Standby Phases, if you happen to have a Spell card in your hand, you gain 1000 Life Points."**_

Hearing some strange noises, Elize felt something shadowing over her and glanced up. Right above her head were five cards; Wynn the Wind Charmer, Trap Jammer, Blizzard Princess, Magic Formula, and the card she drew, Mirror Force. She looked at her hand, realizing that the cards in her hand and the cards above were the exact same cards.

Kaibaman seemed a little amused by her reaction. **_"Oh? You seem surprised. While it seems unfortunate for me that my own opponent gains Life Points, I can at least tell what sort strategy can run through their heads. And since you have Magic Formula, a Spell card, in your hands, I guess you got lucky. You now receive 1000 Life Points."_**

 **Elize - 5000 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Kaibaman!"

 _ **"There's no need to thank me. After all, it doesn't matter how much your Life Points increase. My deck is full of Monsters which will crush down your Life Points piece by piece! Now, make your move."**_

Seeing how she was defenceless, Elize decided that she needed a Monster to defend her Life Points. "Okay! I summon Wynn the Wind Charmer in Defense Mode!"

The green-haired girl crotched down and held her staff close to her, trembling slightly at the sight of the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon standing right in front of her. Still, she managed to calm down for Elize's sake to show that she wasn't afraid even though she might get destroyed next turn.

Wynn the Wind Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Wynn glanced behind her shoulder and gave a curt nod to Elize, silently telling her that she chose the correct move to make. _'...I know Wynn's defensive power can't stand up against Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but at least she'll help protect me,'_ thought Elize. "Oh! And I end my turn!"

 _ **"Hmm..."**_ Kaibaman drew his card, but he was still staring at the four revealed cards up on the air. He looked at the card he drew and smiled a little. _**"You know what? I feel a little generous today, so I'm giving you the chance to show me your strength. I end my turn."**_

 _'Huh? He didn't even bother attacking? But Wynn can't stand up to Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Still, I gotta take this chance to rethink my strategy,'_ Elize thought before drawing her card.

At that moment, her drawn card joined in with the rest of the revealed cards floating on the air, showing what sort of card it was to Kaibaman.

 _ **"Now my Trap activates its effect, and since you still have a Spell card in your hands, you automatically receive 1000 Life Points once again!"**_

 **Elize - 6000 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

Elize glanced at her drawn card, knowing that it was one of her Monster cards. "...I summon Card Ejector in Defense Mode!"

The little Spellcaster-type girl raised her wand and beamed happily...until she froze at the sight of a giant Blue-Eyes White Dragon staring down at her, which she immediantly hid behind her oversized top hat and sat down in fear.

Card Ejector - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (400/400)

"I use Card Ejector's special ability! Once per turn, she can banish one card in your Graveyard! And since the only card in your Graveyard is Kaibaman, I choose him!"

 _ **"Oh! You wound me!"**_ mocked Kaibaman, taking his card from the Graveyard slot and placing it in his coat pocket.

"I-I'm sorry. Are y-you alright?"

 _ **"I was only being sarcastic."**_

"Oh. Well, I set a card facedown and end my turn!" _'My facedown card is Mirror Force, and Mr. Kaibaman knows that as well. I know he's not willing to risk losing his powerful dragon to a Trap, so maybe he won't attack.'_

 _ **"You must be joking. All you did was set up a Trap and fortify your defense?"**_ questioned Kaibaman, sounding disappointed. _**"Why didn't you use Blizzard's Princess effect? All you had to do was sacrifice one Spellcaster-type on your field to Tribute Summon her."** _

"I..." Wanting to look brave, Elize clenched her fists and said, "I'm not going to sacrifice any of my friends just to call out an even stronger one! That's not how I duel! I'd rather lose Life Points than sacrifice my friends! I..." She loosen the grip in her hands and shook her head. "I don't want to be selfish and toss my Monsters away like trash..."

 _ **"So, that's why..."**_ said Kaibaman, drifting off. **_"There are a few questions I'd like to ask you in order to confirm my suspicions. Ready?"_**

"I...don't really mind answering any questions, Mr. Kaibaman."

 _ **"Good. You should know that the ability to speak to Duel Spirits is rare, right? So, you must interacted with your friends for a very long time, right?"**_

"I think I got the ability when I was born."

 _ **"Alright. What did your Monsters say when they figured that you weren't willing to place them in the Graveyard for Tribute Summons or anything of the sort?"**_

"They asked me why, and I tried my best to answer them. But over and over, they kept telling me that it was alright to sacrifice them. Even so, it doesn't feel right for me to sacrifice them as if they were nothing! If...If I actually kept at it, then I'd be taking advantage of them in a really, bad way!"

Hearing that, Card Ejector and Wynn couldn't help but worry. They knew Elize well-enough that she would never ever act that way even if she tried. It was true that they had tried telling Elize over and over, but maybe they went too far?

 _ **"Just as I thought,"**_ said Kaibaman. _**"Actually, Elize, it's you who's in the wrong here. By not sacrificing your Monsters, you're actually disrespecting them!"**_

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Elize. "How did I disrespect them, Mr. Kaibaman?"

 _ **"If I got permission from someone to do something, I would have done it without hesitation! But you...you're different. You want to protect your Monsters, something I can respect. However, your Monsters have their own will and rights too. They've all made their choices and they want to be sacrificed, but you refused over and over. In a way, you're not giving them a chance to prove themselves more useful to you. If they want to be sacrificed, who can stop them from making their decision?"**_

"But...I..."

 _ **"Sorry, but I'm not finished. Anyways, you're just scared! Whatever past experiences you had, it's time to let go of the past and move forward! That's how a true duelist works as well! Duelists who don't get up after one loss don't deserve to be true duelists. However, those who keep losing, yet continue onward will improve and grow stronger to be experienced duelists! You're in a similar case! You're trapped in the past, thus unable to grow stronger! But, if you move towards the future on your own two feet, you'll grow stronger and more in sync with your deck, just like me!"**_

Staring at her deck, Elize thought back on her previous duels and considered Kaibaman's words carefully. Did she really not consider her Monsters' feelings all this time? Obviously, she can't read their minds, but every talk they had about sacrificing themselves seemed to end in disappointment in their eyes. Maybe Kaibaman was right, and that she should move on. Not just for herself, but for others too.

 _ **"Well, it's not going to matter now anyways,"**_ said Kaibaman, drawing his card. _**"Soon, I'll have you feel the wrath of my full power! First, I activate Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards. Next, I'll use Ancient Rules, and this card Special Summons 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from my hand! Care to guess which Monster I'll choose? No? Then, I'll tell you! Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"**_

Blue-Eyes White Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV8 - (3000/2500)

 _ **"But I'm not done! Next, I activate Burst Stream of Destruction! As long as I have a Blue-Eyes White Dragon on my side of the field, I can destroy all the Monsters on your side of the field!"**_

"Aah! Wynn! Card Ejector!" cried out Elize, realizing that her two Monsters-no, precious friends were about to be destroyed. It all ended in a flash of light and her two Monsters were nowhere to be seen.

 _ **"On the turn I activate Burst Stream of Destruction, I can't attack with any of my Blue-Eyes. But that doesn't mean another Monster can't. I summon another Kaibaman!"**_

Kaibaman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV3 - (200/700)

 _ **"Oh, and don't think I've forgotten about one of your facedowns. Mirror Force, was it? Now I activate Stamping Destruction! As long as I control a Dragon-type, I can destroy one Spell or Trap on the field, and I choose your Mirror Force Trap card!"**_

Kaibaman pointed to the leftmost card on Elize's side of the field, which shattered into tiny pieces as a result.

 _ **"Oh, and an additional effect. Because I used this effect, you receive 500 points of damage!"**_

 **Elize - 5500 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

 _ **"I attack! Kaibaman, attack her directly!"**_

The Kaibaman Monster on the field powered up and started charging an orb full of energy right between his two palms. Once finished, he fired it at Elize, who tried to protect herself with her arms before the orb exploded.

 **Elize - 5300 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

 _ **"Now I use Kaibaman's effect and sacrifice him to bring out my third and final Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"**_

"A third Blue-Eyes?!" cried out Elize, shocked as Kaibaman disappeared and the third dragon made its appearance. Once all three dragons gathered, they roared and stomped their claws down to declare their appearance.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV8 - (3000/2500)

 _ **"Now I'll end my turn. So, what will you do now? You've got no Monsters on the field and no Monsters in your hand. You're defenceless! Hopefully you'll get a Monster on your next draw. But since you've still got a Spell card in your hand, on your next Standby Phase, Eye of Truth lets you gain 1000 Life Points.**_

Nodding, Elize drew her card without hesitation, but her eyes widen when she saw it was...Polymerization.

 **Elize - 6300 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

How did that Spell card get into her deck? She would have recalled a card like that in her own deck. Wait...Perhaps she did remember a card being in one of the card packs she bought in the card store...So she must have unknowingly placed it in her deck!

 _'Oh, yeah...Right...'_ thought Elize, thinking how stupid she was not to check her deck beforehand. "I guess I have no choice but to end my turn."

 _ **"Then, this is it!"**_ declared Kaibaman, drawing his card. _**"Blue-Eyes White Dragon #1! Attack her directly!"**_

The first Blue-Eyes White Dragon flew into the air and fired a burst of energy towards Elize, who stood her ground and looked prepared to take the attack head on.

"I activate my Trap card, Draining Shield!" shouted Elize, revealing her facedown card she had set from her first turn. "This Trap not only negates Blue-Eyes' attack, but I also gain Life Points equal to its Attack Points!"

A light green-colored barrier surrounded Elize, protecting her from Blue-Eyes White Dragon's blast, though it caused an explosion that brought about smoke. Once the smoke vanished, Elize was still in the game and her Life Points fully rejuvenated.

 **Elize - 9300 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

 _ **"I've still got two more dragons who still haven't attacked yet! With their combined attack power, you'll be suffering 6000 points of damage! Attack, both my Blue-Eyes!"**_

Diligently obeying their master's commands, both Blue-Eyes White Dragons unleashed their lightning blasts at Elize so fast that she had hardly expected their timing.

 **Elize - 3300 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

 _ **"I end my turn."**_

"Alright...my turn!" said Elize, drawing her card which was once again revealed to Kaibaman thanks to Eye of Truth. Since she still had a Spell card, her Life Points increased due to the after effect of Eye of Truth.

 **Elize - 4300 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 4000 LP**

"I activate Pot of Greed, letting me two cards!"

This time, Kaibaman saw her two newly drawn cards, Monster Reborn and Eria the Water Charmer, above in the air. _**"Let me guess. You're going to summon that new Monster you pulled, and then use her in Defense Mode, right? But even you defend with just one Monster, my two dragons will still be more than enough to wipe you out!"**_

"...You know, Mr. Kaibaman...You're right," admitted Elize. "I've been thinking about what you said, and I'm still worried about the whole sacrificing Monsters stuff. Even so, you helped me realize that I was only rejecting my friends' decisions instead of protecting them. So, in this turn, I'm going to destroy one of your Blue-Eyes to show you how resolved I've become, even if it is a little! I mean, or...something like that..." Elize quieted down, feeling a bit embarrassed about getting a bit too overconfident and boasting all about it.

 _ **"Oh? Intriguing! Well then, show me your resolve!"**_ challenged Kaibaman, getting excited by how this young human was going to fight against his mighty dragons.

Elize nodded, her expression firm, though still showing a shy look. "I play Monster Reborn, reviving my Wynn the Wind Charmer!"

Wynn the Wind Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Next, I summon from my hand, Eria the Water Charmer!"

Emerging from the shallow waters of the river, the beautiful blue-haired spellcasting girl opened her blue eyes wide enough to see the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. Yet, she wasn't afraid because she had a feeling that Elize could take at least one of them down.

Eria the Water Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 _ **"So, you Special Summoned a Spellcaster, yet you didn't bother sacrificing her for Blizzard Princess? It doesn't seem like you'll be able to take on my three dragons after all if you choose these two to fight,"**_ taunted Kaibaman, crossing his arms.

"Wait! I'm not done yet! All the preparations are set! Now, from my hand..." Elize raised her arm, holding the next card she was planning on using. The card that would not only help her achieve victory in this fight, but help her change her ways.

"I activate Polymerization!"

 _ **"Huh?"**_ Kaibaman and even Eria and Wynn couldn't help be react so strongly at Elize's choice. Polymerization may be able to fuse together Monsters for a brand new Monster, but the Fusion-Material Monsters used for such a summon would be sent to the Graveyard afterwards, something Elize absolutely loathed.

Yet here she was, commiting an act that the old Elize would never do.

"I fuse together Eria the Water Charmer and Wynn the Wind Charmer! Bearer of feisty waters! Tamer of gentle winds! Merge together to create a being of uncontrollable storms! Fusion Summon! Now, calm the conflict! Squalla the Tempest Charmer!"

The river behind Elize started reacting strangely as the waters started to swirl and soon rushed around over and over, creating a small whirlpool. Above the whirlpool, dark clouds gathered together, rumbling as the breezes changed to strong gusts of wind. The dark clouds started to rain and joined in with the winds and whirlpool, creating an effective storm no ship would ever want to be in.

 **BOOM!** Lightning blinded everyone momentarily before they saw a figure flying in midair. This girl's turquoise-colored hair was tied in a high ponytail with a dark blue ribbon to tie it up. Her piercing green eyes glared back at the three dragons, silently challenging them with her confident aura. Her attire were light green and white dress-like robes with a brown cloak over them. Finally, resting on her hands was the hilt of a sharp shortsword.

Squalla the Tempest Charmer - (WIND/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2400/1500)

 _'What is this feeling?'_ thought Elize, her heart accelerating faster and faster by the minute. _'I feel all energized and excited from Fusion Summoning...As if new possibilities could open for me now! Like...Like I could win now!'_

"Now, I equip Magic Formula to Squalla, giving her 700 extra Attack Points!"

Squalla the Tempest Charmer - (WIND/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (3100/1500)

"Squalla, destroy one of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons! Storm Engulfer!"

The new Fusion Spellcaster raised her sword arm, causing waves to crash against one another as they kept increasing in size while the winds blew harder than before. The waves gathered and spiraled upwards thanks to the huge amounts of winds supporting them, creating an effective typhoon. Squalla lowered her arm, commanding the typhoon to crash on top of one of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons, drowning it with the heavy waters.

 **Elize - 4300 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 3900 LP**

"Whoa...So much power..." gasped Elize, voicing her opinion in amazement. "And all this coming from a single Fusion Monster?"

Kaibaman nodded. _**"That's right. It was thanks to your efforts alone, Elize. Not only were you able to Fusion Summon, but you were able to make your Monster strong enough to destroy one of my Blue-Eyes."**_

"Oh, it was just pure luck, of course! If I didn't have Magic Formula, I'd really be done for! Ahaha! Oh! Um...I end my turn now!"

 _ **"My turn! And I activate Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards. Next is Graceful Charity! I draw three cards and discard two! Now that the preparations are set, it's almost time to finish this with the full power of my Blue-Eyes!"**_

"But how?" asked Elize. "Squalla's still got higher Attack Points than any of your Monsters. Well, only a 100 point difference."

 _ **"Simple. You brought out your potential by Fusion Summoning. I'll do the same soon. But first, I play Silent Doom and bring back Blue-Eyes White Dragon in Defense Mode!"**_

Blue-Eyes White Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV8 - (3000/2500)

 _ **"Next, I'll activate my own Polymerization and fuse all three of my Blue-Eyes to create the almighty Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Dragon trio of fierceful power! Surround yourself with even more greatness and make your enemies cower before your own power! I Fusion Summon Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"**_

"Oh no!"

Sucked in a portal filled with mixed colors of blue, orange, red, and various other colors, the three dragons roared together as they started synchronizing with each other. Now that they're linked together, a brand new Dragon-Type took place; one with three heads, a big bigger body, sharper claws, and scales so shiny and fortified.

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon - (LIGHT/Fusion/Dragon) - LV12 - (4500/3800)

"This is bad! Squalla can't fight a dragon that strong!" cried out Elize, looking at the wide-eyed Fusion Monster.

 _ **"Go, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Avenge your brethren and finish her off!"**_

All three heads of the dragon started collecting energy inside their jaws before unleashing the energy as three separate beams which combined together to form a much bigger and stronger beam. Their attack was more than enough to eliminate and incinerate Squalla.

 **Elize - 2900 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 3900 LP**

 _'It's okay! I've still got some Life Points left!'_ thought Elize, still a little shocked over the tremendous power surge she had just witnessed. _'Maybe I'll get lucky and get some defense next turn!'_

 _ **"If you think that I'm finished, then you're wrong!"**_ said Kaibaman. _**"I play my Quick-Play Spell card, De-Fusion! Now by returning Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon back to my Extra Deck, I can now Special Summon its Fusion-Material Monsters, the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons!"**_

Blue-Eyes White Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV8 - (3000/2500) X3

 _ **"Now, attack her directly!"**_

Their beams collided together in one huge beam that was more than enough to wipe out the rest of Elize's Life Points. Not only that, but it sent the poor girl flying high into the air, causing many of the Duel Spirits to gasp. If she fell down from that height, she could possibly break her neck and die!

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Kaibaman - 3900 LP**

 **Winner: Kaibaman**

The Duel Spirits panicked and started running around, trying to catch the falling girl. Sure, they didn't like a lot of humans sincemany had discarded them for being weak and useless in duels, but that didn't mean they wanted to see one die before their eyes!

A female robed Duel Spirit walked up and raised her hand, which was glowing a faint pink color. A cloud popped out and caught Elize before it gently placed her on the ground and poofed away.

Elize patted away at her jeans before looking up. "Miss Doriado? What are you doing here?"

The Ritual Monster smiled before turning to Kaibaman. _**"Kaibaman, thank you very much for fufilling my request. I hope there wasn't any trouble."**_

 _ **"None at all. Your owner will make a fine duelist if she keeps this up."**_

"Excuse me," called Elize, timidly walking up to the two adults. "May I ask what's going on? Or, am I interrupting you? If so, I'm sorry!"

 _ **"It's fine, Elize,"**_ assured Doriado, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. _**"Actually, I was just about to tell you everything that has happened so far. You see, I asked Kaibaman to help you out."**_

"Help me with what?"

 _ **"To help conquer your fear of sacrificing. I know you dislike it a lot, Elize, but I knew that field test was coming up, and I did not want you to be humilated like last time."**_

Elize grew eerie, remembering last month's field test. She ended up getting pelted with actual tomatoes by Obelisk Blues for failing her field test against a fellow Slifer Red. It truly was humiliating, but at least the bullies got what they deserved through detention.

Kaibaman turned to Elize and asked, _**"So, tell me. Have you conquered your fears? Or are you still in the shadows?"**_

"Well...I still don't like sacrificing my friends, but I think I may have taken an interest to Fusion Summoning. I...I'll try to consider Tribute Summoning, but I still feel a little bit uneasy. Still, I think..." Elize took a deep breath before continuing. "I think I'm alright with Fusion Summoning. Maybe even Ritual Summoning."

The masked man nodded. _**"Good. That's how a true duelist finds their path. It may take time, but as they gain experience, they'll grow and learn more. That's how a true duelist should strive!"**_

Elize beamed, giving him a genuine smile before bowing. "Yes, you're right. I'll do my best even more in duels from now on. Thank you, Mr. Kaibaman, sir!"

Kaibaman chuckled, flattered by her politeness. _**"Yes. I should probably tell you that in a few seconds, you'll wake up."**_

"Wait, what are-"

* * *

"Aaah!"

Slipping off her bed, Elize tumbled to the ground unharmed. Though, the cards in her deck were scattered around the floor due to her arm accidentally knocking them off her bed.

Since she wasn't a morning person, Elize yawned and rubbed her eyes, trying to ignore her headache. She was ready to head back to sleep, wanting to get some more shut-eye since it was around 3 in the morning when she spotted her cards on the floor.

Scooping two up, she saw that it was Polymerization and her Fusion Monster, Squalla. Knowing that her experience wasn't really a dream but a life lesson, Elize changed her mind on sleep and decided to get to work on rearranging her deck using a flashlight.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Just a few heads up!**

 **This may be the last chapter before the year ends so I just wanna thank you all for support and all! I don't mean this is going to be the last chapter, but I'm gonna work on more fanfics.**

 **Not much is known about the functions of the Spirit Worlds since there are just more than 1. I tried my best so I assume that one can enter the Spirit World this way.**

 **As for the cards, I'm using the anime version, not the real-life version unless absolutely necessary. Now, here's the description for the new fanmade Charmer Fusion card!**

 **Squalla the Tempest Charmer - (WIND/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2400/1500)**

 **Any "Eria" card + Any "Wynn" card**

 **This card must be Fusion Summoned using the above Materials. This card can also be treated as a WATER Attribute. You can discard a number of cards from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy Spells and Traps on the field equal to the amount of cards you discarded. If so, this card gains 300 ATK for every Spell and/or Trap destroyed. At your End Phase, this card's ATK returns to its original amount.**

 **Neato, huh? Well, have a Happy New Year's!**


	11. The One to be Protected

**Heya guys! School's back from the whole winter break thing. What a bummer. Still, I'll try my best on this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 _'Come on, come on, come on!'_ thought Elize, frantically walking down the hallways at a fast pace while nibbling on a piece of toast with her teeth. She stayed up for two hours after 3 to rearrange her deck and only got 2 hours of sleep, so she imagined that she was late, seeing that all the hallways were empty.

Once arriving at her classroom doorway, Elize took her half-eaten toast off her mouth before opening the door with one hand. To her surprise, Crowler wasn't present anywhere; the classroom was filled with chattering students, though.

Elize walked down the stairs and headed towards her seat, finishing off her toast. "Good morning, Chumley. Um...am I late?" she asked to Chumley, who was looking at one card to another in his giant palms.

"Huh? No. Actually, you're ten minutes earlier than usual. So, it's all good."

"Elize!" called out Blair, who was sitting next to Chumley. "Thank God you're here! I thought you wouldn't make it in time! I mean, Jaden isn't even here yet, either!"

"Uh..You mean, Jaden and Syrus. You forgot to mention Syrus," reminded Alexis, one seat behind the tomboy.

Blair's face flared up before she pressed her hat closer to her. "I-I knew that! Anyways! Elize, wanna help me review before our written exams starts?"

"Okay!"

Watching Blair and Elize taking out their review sheets and reviewing one another caused Alexis and Chumley to feel some sense of their strong friendship. Ever since Blair came into the picture, Elize has been spending an awful lot of time together with her. Soon, it came to occur to both of them that Blair may one day be the ideal boyfriend Elize could have later in the future.

"I feel happy for both Blair and Elize," Alexis whispered to Chumley, smiling. "They might end up like a good couple later."

Chumley nodded. "Yeah. Some rumors have spreaded that they like each other like that. But...I do feel sad for Syrus. He has a crush on Elize, you know."

"Oh...Oh...!" If Alexis didn't know before, she knew now. "That's why he acts to differently and much more nicer around her. Yeah, one of us is going to have to break the news to him someday, you know."

"Yeah, but-"

 **SLAM!** The front doors slammed open, and a frantic-looking Jaden and Syrus rushed down the stairs and jumped onto their seats; sweating and breathing heavily.

Blair couldn't help but be mesmerized by Jaden. _'Oh...his hot face and how he wipes off his sweat...I wish I had a jar with me so that I could-Wait-GAH!'_ Blair's face was extremely red like a volcano before she glared down at her lap, refusing to look at anyone in the eye.

"What happened?" asked Alexis, concern for the two best friends.

Syrus was the first to regain his breath, holding one finger up for Alexis to be patient for a moment. "We...We were running down the hallway, and we accidentally made Crowler spill coffee all over his clothes! Then, we ran all the way here!"

"Did he see the two of you?" Elize asked out of curiosity.

"No, I don't think so," replied Jaden, still wearing his trademark child-like grin. "But man! The look on his face when the coffee spilled on his clothes! It was hilari-"

 **SLAM!** Once again, the front door slammed all the way opened, but emerging from the hallways and into the classroom was a pissed-off Crowler with coffee stains visible all over his Obelisk Blue clothing. All the students stayed silent the moment they noticed his presence, including Jaden.

Storming down the stairs towards his desk, Crowler began muttering threats about what he'll do to the culprit that made his appearance like this. He was even using hand motions such as wringing a neck out of thin air, or stomping on his foot for dramatic effect. Jaden and Syrus made extra measures to stay low in their seats, not wanting to be seen by their Slifer Red hating teacher.

"CLASS!" He hollered, making everyone literally jump from their seats. "WE'RE TAKING THE WRITTEN EXAM NOW! I DON'T CARE IF THE BELL RANG OR NOT! JUST TAKE OUT YOUR PENCILS AND DO IT! YOU HAVE ONE HOUR! DON'T WASTE IT!"

Nobody complained nor spoke back to the teacher; all of them quickly taking their pencils and erasers just in case. After being handed their papers, everyone began scribbling down their answers as Crowler watched each one of them very carefully.

* * *

 _Several hours later..._

Fidgeting her fingers over and over, Elize glanced back and forth; nervous and close to a breakdown. Many other students have had their field test, but so far, she and some of her friends hasn't. Still, she had to admit, her other friends' duels were amazing.

Bastion's arranged elemental decks helped him through his duel with ease. It didn't matter what deck his opponent chose; for it was either DARK, LIGHT, FIRE, WATER, EARTH, or WIND Attribute decks. Since his opponent chose a FIRE deck for Bastion, it didn't take long for the Ra Yellow genius to scorch his opponent's Monsters and burn his Life Points to a crisp.

Chumley's duel ended up in a tie, but still, Chumley put a good fight in the end. Both him and his opponent were using Beast-Type decks, so their card effects ended up affecting one another and causing the two to lose at the same time. Still, the duel was almost like a fight in the jungle, like a lion pinning against a lion. Except, a koala vs bears, a weird combination.

It was a close call for Syrus's match, but he managed to win eventually. His opponent focused his deck based on Wyrm-Types, and all Syrus could do is defend and strike back using all the effect damage he could use. The only thing that saved him the win was his Trap card, Magic Cylinder, redirecting his attack right back at the opponent's.

Alexis's duel could only be described as enchanting and elegant, for Alexis, that is. Everyone was captivated by Alexis's dueling style and how she used her Monsters' effects all the way to maximum. In the end, her ace Monster, Cyber Blader, finished off her opponent in a swift dance of multiple attacks.

Afterwards, other duels went on; one another beating the next and so on. Someone passed, someone failed, but there was always next time. Many interesting decks were shown throughout the duels happening in the gym, but apparently, a lot of the male students used Warrior-Types, while the females used Fairy-Types, both Types being especially popular with duelists these days.

Elize couldn't help but tremble in her seat, her hands covering her mouth as she began hitching her breath. Everyone else were busy watching the duels to notice the timid girl shaking like a leaf. What if she failed again? Will the mean bullies from last month tease and make fun of like last time? She couldn't bear being humiliated like that again! Even though they were given detention, she still felt like they haven't learned their lesson. Even so-!

A hand clamped onto her shoulder, startling the girl as she turned her head and saw Alexis. Alexis had been wanting to see the rest of the duels, but seeing Elize all scared worried the older girl. She remembered that the last field test didn't end so well and ended up with Elize getting picked on for her bad dueling skills. She couldn't let such a thing happen to a nice girl like her, so...

"Elize? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah! I'm just feeling a little cold, that's all!"

"...Elize? I want to give you a few of my cards for your duel," offered Alexis, taking a few cards from her deck and handing them over to Elize. "That way, you'll be able to defend yourself even more."

Looking at them, Elize recognized them as Doble Passe, Waboku, and Etoile Cyber, some of Alexis's favorite cards. She shook her head and took a step back. "N-no. I can't. These are your cards, after all."

"That's why I'm letting you borrow them for a while. I just don't want others teasing you for your dueling skills. You're a nice girl, Elize, and nobody that nice deserves to be bullied with."

Elize looked unsure what to do. Sure, using these cards would help her deck and possibly help her win, but still, she wanted to use her own skills to win. She didn't want to borrow Alexis's main cards and borrow off her strength. She wanted to duel using her own ability and skills.

"Alexis, I'm sorry, but I don't-"

 **"Attention, all students! Those who haven't dueled yet must come down to the gym immediantly!"**

Knowing that was her cue, Elize bowed to Alexis, giving her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry! But, thank you for the offer, anyways! See you!"

Alexis sighed and gave her a weak smile. "Okay then. Good luck in your duel, alright? Try your best out there."

"Yes. Thank you, Alexis!"

In a few minutes, Elize managed to make it all the way towards the center of the gym, where the other remaining duelists waited. Other than her, three other people haven't had their turn yet; Chazz, Jaden, and Blair.

Elize was panicking on the inside, knowing each of them could easily beat her, Jaden and Chazz especially! Chazz crossed his arms with a bored expression, though he wanted to duel Jaden. Blair stayed silent, hoping not to attract any attention. The only one excited through all this was Jaden, as he was anxious to know who he was going to be facing.

Crowler walked up to the four duelists, holding up a microphone in his hands before bringing it close to his lips. **"Alright, so apparently, four Slifer slac-I mean, Slifer Reds are left in line! Here's what we're going to do! Instead of two duels, we're making it a four-way Battle Royale! So, it's Blair Flannigan and Elize Simington vs Chazz Princeton and Jaden Yuki!"**

"WHAT?!" yelled Blair as Elize's jaw dropped, both girls shocked at the sudden change in the field test.

"Alright, sweet!" cheered Jaden, pumping his fist up as Chazz was taken aback. "Wait...What's a Battle Royale?"

Chazz facepalmed, knowing that Jaden would ask something as stupid as that. "Idiot! You really don't pay attention in class, do you? A Battle Royale is sorta like a Tag Team Duel, except, there are differences! Just listen, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once!"

In a Battle Royale, the dueling rules were changed a little to make it more interesting and fair for all parties participating in such a duel. One; Your partner can either help you or attack you. Two; Players can cooperate against another player, such as two guys ganging up on one player. Three;Nobody can attack on their first turn. There were a few more rules, but these were the basic ones.

"Well, Blair and Elize are done for," said Bastion, already calculating the outcome of the upcoming duel.

"Don't say that!" snapped Alexis, glancing fiercely at him. "The duel's barely even started yet!"

"Yes, but knowing Elize, she might be the first to get kicked out of the duel. According to my calculations, anyways."

"And did you forget that your own calculations couldn't help you win against Jaden?"

"...Fair point, I won't deny."

"Wait, Dr. Crowler!" called Blair. "We're clearly at a disadvantage, me and Elize! Can't you have Elize move to Jaden's side? Although I hate Chazz's guts, I'll gladly take him as my partner! ...And then knock him down when we're done."

"HEY! I heard that!" the black-haired spiky teen yelled, but was sadly ignored.

 **"No! It has to stay like that! Besides, there's a good reason why I want to arrange that way,"** admitted Crowler before he sported a nasty-looking grin that spelled trouble for Blair and Elize. **"If you and Miss Elize lose this duel...You have to take off your caps in front of the whole audience!"**

"WHAT?!" Now this was unfair and a stunning turn of events for both girls! Elize didn't mind if she took off her cap, but, if Blair had to...in front of everyone, her gender idntity crisis would be exposed!

"D-Dr. Crowler! Surely we can come to a better term!" pleaded Elize, trying to change his mind. "How about, if we win, we hand over our lunches! Or be servants to the winenrs for a week! Or whatever!"

 **"Nope! I've felt that the two of you have been suspicious for some time now! So, that's when it hit me! I realized that there must be something hidden under your caps!"**

"Their caps...?" Chazz suddenly gasped, snapping his fingers. "Aha! I got it! The screaming girl they were hiding before...was hidden underneath one of their caps!"

Now it was Syrus's turn to facepalm; having heard all what Chazz said. _'Oh, really, Chazz?'_ he thought, unable to cope of how much of a dumb meter Chazz had compared to Jaden's. _'And how exactly big is this girl?'_

 **"Now, with your caps on the line, come and duel like proper good duelists should!"**

"Alright! A cap-strip duel! This should be interesting!" said Jaden, laughing happily.

Determined to prove his theory, Chazz quickly got into position for the Battle Royal duel. "The secret behind those caps better get revealed! Come on, Jaden! Hurry up and get here!"

"Coming!"

Blair and Elize huddled close together, trying to form a sort of strategy. "Blair, if they win, you'll be forced to take off your cap!"

"Yeah, but...I don't really..."

Blair was about to finish her line when she saw the sorrowful look in her best friend's eyes. That look was the same one as last time, when those Obelisk Blue bullies threw tomatoes at her and insulted her. No way was she letting her friend experience that painful moment again!

 **"What are you two whispering about?!"** demanded Crowler, his shrilling echoing throughout the entire gym. **"Hurry up and get the duel started already!"**

"Yes, Dr. Crowler!" Both girls ran to the Duel Field, activating their duel disks simultaneously. Both glanced at each other one more time, knowing that they were definitely not going to have a good time.

"Hope you two are ready!" encouraged Jaden. "Get your games on!"

"Pfft! Yeah, right! This will be over real quickly," said Chazz, not really interested. "You and I are dueling later, Jaden!"

"Bring it on, Chazz!"

 _'I hate to admit it, but Bastion may be right,'_ thought Alexis, silently praying for Elize and Blair. _'Jaden and Chazz sure don't show mercy to their opponents, and as a team together? They're a powerhouse not to be dealt with! It'll take a miracle for them to actually win!'_

 _'I have at least one advantage to my side,'_ Elize thought, looking at her deck. _'The element of surprise! That's one of my main strong points in my deck! Please, let me and Blair win! I don't want her kicked out of Duel Academy!'_

 _'Please let Elize win!_ ' Blair begged to herself, looking at her deck and hoping they would choose the right cards for her. _'I don't care about myself, but don't let her lose!'_

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Blair - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Chazz - 4000 LP**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"I'll go first!" said Blair, who quickly drew six cards. One of them being the card, The One to be Protected, a very special card. _'I'll save that one for later.'_ "I set two cards facedown and play Maiden in Love in Attack Mode!"

A beautiful, tiny girl sporting a yellow dress with a pink ribbon attack to a headband appeared, causing a lot of the female fans in the audience to awe at the cute girl.

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Then, I'll end my turn!"

"Chazz! Be careful! I've had my fair shares with that Monster!" warned Jaden, already seeing where this duel was getting.

"Yeah, I know! I've faced that Monster before, and it wasn't pretty," admitted Chazz, scowling at the lovely girl. "It's my draw! I summon Armed Dragon LV3 in Attack Mode!"

The small, big-jawed Dragon pumped his fists before standing tall to fight for his master.

Armed Dragon LV3 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV3 - (1200/900)

"Next, I set a card facedown and end!"

"...My turn! Draw!" Elize didn't waste time drawing her sixth card before examining her hand. _'Alright! Polymerization! But, if I use it now, that'll spoil the surprise. For now, I'll play some defense and fortify it with my facedown card!'_ "I set a Monster in Defense Mode and set a card before ending my turn!"

"My turn, then!" said Jaden. "Sweet! I play Bubbleman in Attack Mode!"

The WATER Attribute Elemental Hero bursted out from a large bubble and revealed his heroic appearance for all to see.

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"And, when he's all alone on the field, I get to draw two more cards!" After drawing his two cards, Jaden nodded and revealed Polymerization in his hand. "Sweetness! I activate Polymerization and fuse together my favorite Hero, Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

The two Elemental Heroes gave each other friendly nods before springing up in the air where the swirling portal awaited the both of them. It took a few seconds for the Polymerization circle to merge their bodies and powers together in the form of another Monster that had their colors and half a wing with a demonic dragon's arm.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

 _'Here he is! Jaden's current ace Monster! I have to take him out!'_ thought Blair, frowning at the appearance of the powerful Fusion Monster. _'His special ability is nasty, so he's Target #1!'_

"I'll end my turn! Let's see what you've got, Blair!" said Jaden.

"With pleasure! Draw!" Blair drew her card, knowing that anyone could attack now. "I activate my Trap, Jar of Greed, letting me draw one more card! Now that that's done, I play Shining Friendship in Attack Mode!"

A petite green Monster with angel wings sprang onto the field, making a lot of the female duelists in the audience squeal at his cute looks.

Shining Friendship - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV4 - (1300/1100)

"Now, I'm attacking Chazz's Armed Dragon with Shining Friendship!" declared Blair. The green-skinned angel Monster used his powers to create an arrow of light before aiming towards Armed Dragon.

"I activate my Trap! Call of the Earthbound!" shouted Chazz, revealing his facedown card. "Since you just declared an attack, I can redirect it to another target, and I choose Bubbleman!"

"What?!" Jaden was shocked; clearly not expecting his partner to target his Monster. "But we're on the same team!"

"Cool it, slacker! I need to protect my Monster! Besides, you'll only be losing a few points!"

"Still-"

 **SWOOSH!** Shining Friendship redirected his aim at Bubbleman and shot an arrow through his chest, destroying him the instant the arrow hit.

 **Blair - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Chazz - 4000 LP**

 **Jaden - 3500 LP**

"Grrrr! When we duel, I'm gonna get you back for this, Chazz!" promised Jaden, holding his fist up as tick marks swelled in his forehead.

"Yeah, yeah! Whatever!"

Blair glanced around both their fields, trying to figure out what to do. If she attacked Chazz's dragon with her Maiden in Love, he'll be hit with a Maiden Counter, but she best not risk it because of Chazz might use his dragon's ability to level it up. On the other hand, attacking Flame Wingman might be good, but she wants to increase her Life Points first. Therefore, she won't attack.

"I end my Battle Phase," announced Blair, causing her two opponents to stop arguing with one another. "But, that doesn't mean my turn's done! Now, I play Ookazi and inflct 800 points of Direct Damage to...Chazz!"

"Damn you-AAAH!" Chazz cursed at Blair, ready to throw a fit when a lightning bolt from above struck down on Chazz, making him fall facedown on the floor.

 **Blair - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Chazz - 3200 LP**

 **Jaden - 3500 LP**

Jaden tried his hardest not to snicker in front of Chazz, but failed miserably. Chazz stood back up, glaring at him. "Hey! Don't you dare laugh!"

"B-b-but you deserved it! Ahaha! A-and that scream, too! Hahaha!"

"I will pummel you later! My turn!" Chazz aggressively drew his card before smirking. "Nice! Now that my Standby Phase is here, I now send Armed Dragon LV3 to the Graveyard and Special Summon Armed Dragon LV5 from my deck!"

Armed Dragon LV3 disappeared into thin air, but replacing him was a much bigger and stronger red and black dragon that would serve Chazz well. His entire body was full of spikes and drills so that no ordinary Monster could touch him that easily.

Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)

"I activate Armed Dragon LV5's special ability! By sending 1 Monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I target 1 face-up Monster one of my opponents controls with Attack Points less than or equal to the sent Monster's Attack Points and destroy that Monster! I'm sending Bite Shoes to the Graveyard, and since he had 500 Attack Points, Maiden in Love goes bye-bye!"

Blair grunted, watching her ace Monster cry out as she exploded from the card effect. The only Monster she had left was Shining Friendship, but he's not strong enough to face off against Armed Dragon LV5!

"Oh, Blair!" Chazz called out in a sing-song tone. "I still haven't forgotten what you did to me last turn! Now, Armed Dragon LV5! Attack her Shining Friendship! Burn him to the grounds!"

The LV5 Monster nodded before gulping down some air and releasing it in the form of fire breath that incinerated Shining Friendship, causing all the girls in the audience to groan and boo at Chazz.

 **Blair - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Chazz - 3200 LP**

 **Jaden - 3500 LP**

Armed Dragon LV5 glowed before slowly growing in size as his jaw grew sharper like actual steel; his entire body transforming to a taller, older version of the Armed Dragons and even providing some sharp defensive armor for himself.

Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (2800/1000)

"This could be it," said Bastion, having watched the duel long enough to fully know the results of the duel. "Chazz and Jaden are definitely going to win with those powerful Monsters on their side."

"Could you at least give some encouragment to Elize and Blair? They're trying the best they can, you know!" snapped Alexis, who's heard enough out of Bastion for one day.

"...My turn! Draw!" shouted Elize, not hesitating to draw her next card. "I...From my hand, I activate...Polymerization!"

"What the-?!" cried out Chazz, wide-eyed.

"Huh?!" gasped Jaden, surprised.

"It can't be!" said Alexis.

"She's Fusion Summoning?!" exclaimed Bastion, not expecting her to have that king of card.

"What Monster is she going to bring out?" wondered Syrus.

"..." Elize got nervous, still showing her opponents her card. Well, she sorta expected everyone to be surprised, but she was still a little shaky on sacrificing her Monsters.

Noticing her hesitation, Jaden smiled and nodded, knowing it was alright. Blair, who was stunned for a moment, also nodded. "Go for it, Elize! Show us what you've got!" emboldened Blair.

Elize nodded and activated her card in her Spell/Trap slot before revealing the two Monster cards she planned to use for the Fusion Summoning; Eria the Water Charmer and Aussa the Earth Charmer.

"I'm using Aussa and Eria to create a whole new being! Caster of the bottomless pits of earth! Beautiful bearer of the ocean waves! Plant a new seed of hope that'll lead to a new path to victory! Fusion Summon! Spread your powers forth, Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

A raindrop fell from the sky and landed onto the ground in front of Elize, doing absolutely nothing. Suddenly, a small stem sprouted from the ground and grew larger and larger into a sort of flower bulb that was shut out from the rest of the world. The petals slowly fell down, allowing the being inside to reveal her full figure. She was gowned in forest green robes with a brown cloak covering over them, her wood-colored hair held in curly pigtails while a blue raindrop hairpin was placed somewhere in her hair, and she carried around a wooden rod made from the finest of harden wood.

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/1800)

The audience was left stunned by the beautiful Charmer Fusion Monster's appearance. Never before have they seen such a Monster in a duel such as this. Compared to Elize's other Charmer Monsters, this one was exquisite and special, due to being a Fusion Monster.

"Just when did Elize pick up on Fusion Summoning?" Syrus wondered, his breath still taken by the beautiful Charmer Monster.

"Yesterday, Elize played like a newbie. But now...it seems that her dueling evolved even greater!" said Alexis, smiling for Elize.

"One problem, though," said Bastion, noticing something amiss. "Her Charmer Monster's only got 2000 Attack Points. That's not enough to beat Flame Wingman or Armed Dragon LV7!"

"Not yet! I'm not through yet!" said Elize, looking more confident than before. "From my hand, I activate Magic Formula, raising Forsythia's Attack Points by 700!"

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2700/1800)

"Now, please attack Flame Wingman!"

The Forest Charmer raised her rod towards the air before bringing it down to the ground with a loud thud sound. The ground started shaking, causing Jaden and his Monster to start wobbling back and forth. The earth beneath Flame Wingman cracked opened, and vines quickly wrapped around the Fusion Monster before pulling him downwards right before the hole closed up.

"Oh no! Flame Wingman!" shouted Jaden, shocked that his Monster was gone, just like that.

 **Blair - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Chazz - 3200 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

Seeing how she had only one card left, Elize glanced at it; the card being The One to be Protected. "I set one card facedown and end my turn! At this moment, Forsythia's ability activates! During my turn, if any Spells and/or Traps affected her, then they'll all destroyed at my End Phase! That means the Magic Formula equipped to Forsythia is destroyed, and her Attack Points return back to normal."

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/1800)

"As powerful as she may be, even Fusion Monsters like Forsythia have weak points," commented Bastion.

"Cool summoning, Elize! You've really improved!" acknowledged Jaden, drawing his card. "Cool! Let's see how you top this! First, I'm bringing back Bubbleman with the Spell card, The Warrior Returning Alive! Next, I play the Field Spell, Fusion Gate! As long as this card is on the field, Fusion Monsters can be Fusion Summoned without a Polymerization, but in exchange, they're removed from play instead of being sent to the Graveyard! Ready? I fuse together Clayman and Bubbleman to create Elemental Hero Mudballman in Defense Mode!"

The two Elemental Heroes joined together in a swirly portal before a enlarged Elemental Hero with a body of hardened mud and a heart of good popped out, kneeling down and blocking with his heavy arms.

Elemental Hero Mudballman - (EARTH/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (1900/3000)

"Forsythia's effect activates!" shouted Elize. "During either player's turn, every time someone Special Summons, I can take a Spell card from my Graveyard and add it to my hand! I return Magic Formula!" The Equip Card slid out of her Graveyard slot before Elize added it to her hand.

"I end my turn!" said Jaden. He knew that at times, a good defense is a good offense, so if he had placed Mudballman in Attack Mode, Elize would have finished him off with her new Fusion Monster, but with Mudballman in Defense Mode, he was invincible.

"My turn, then! Draw!" Blair drew her card and began formulating a plan. "I activate Double Summon, letting me Normal Summon twice this turn! Now I play Marshmallon in Attack Mode!"

A bouncy, light pink-colored Monster that was as squishy as a bean bag appeared, looking all happy.

Marshmallon - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV3 - (300/500)

"Next, I play my facedown, Monster Reborn! It allows me to Special Summon a Monster from any of our Graveyards, and I choose Maiden in Love!"

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Because of Forsythia's effect, I return another Spell card from my Graveyard to my hand," interrupted Elize. "Now this time, I choose Polymerization!"

Blair nodded and continued her turn."Now, I sacrifice both these Monster to bring out one of my toughest Monsters! Go, Guardian Angel Joan!"

Both of Blair's Monsters vanished before a light flooded the area and blinded everyone nearby. Once the light dimmed out, everyone clearly saw a female angel-like being that looked like a dancer of sorts.

Guardian Angel Joan - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV7 - (2800/2000)

Knowing this could be her only chance to set it, Blair set down a facedown, thinking she might need it for later. "I set a card facedown and end my turn!"

"My move!" Chazz said, drawing his card. "Alright, Armed Dragon LV7! Finish off Forsythia! Claw Slam!"

Armed Dragon LV7 let out a roar worthy of a dragon's before opening his claws and slashed down at Forsythia, destroying her with his mighty power that she couldn't stand up against.

 **Blair - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 3300 LP**

 **Chazz - 3200 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"I'll end my turn now after I finish placing this card facedown!"

"My turn!" said Elize, drawing a card. "I play Graceful Charity, letting me draw three cards, but discard two from my hand!" She discarded the two Spell cards that were returned to her hand; Polymerization and Magic Formula after she drew her three new cards. "I...summon Spell Striker to the field in Attack Mode!"

A miniature Monster looking like an everyday warrior with a small, fitable Vikings hat and carrying out a stick appeared on the field.

Spell Striker - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/200)

"That Spellcaster's still no match for Jaden or Chazz's Monsters," said Alexis, frowning.

"Spell Striker isn't a Spellcaster-Type," corrected Bastion. "Although the name suggests so, he's actually a Warrior-Type. Looks like Elize has added more than just Spellcaster-Types to her deck."

"I activate Spell Striker's special ability!" Elize said, her arm extended. "He can attack anyone directly! And I choose Chazz!"

"What?! Why me?!"

"Because you're the most potentially dangerous one right now!" Elize pointed to Armed Dragon LV7, and although his Attack Points can't penetrate Mudballman's defense, he still poses a threat.

"...Fair point."

"Now, please attack Chazz, Spell Striker!"

"Heh! The perfect chance to take down your set Monster!" shouted Chazz, smirking. "I activate Dark Mirror Force! I was waiting for you to gather as much defensive Monsters as possible, but this seems like an okay time, too! Now, since you declared an attack, I can banish all Defense Position Monsters you control!"

"Oh no! Mystical Elf!" Elize saw her facedown Monster flipped over and being sucked in a dark hole, her arms wriggling around for help. She looked away and bit her lip, unable to watch one of her favorite Monsters disappearing like that. "S-Still! Spell Striker can still strike your Life Points directly! Please do so!"

Spell Striker gritted his teeth, having witnessed one of his friends vanish right before his eyes. He jabbed his stick at Chazz's forehead a couple of times before flying back to Elize's side, fully satisfied.

 **Blair - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 3300 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"Damn it...My next target's that guy," growled Chazz, rubbing his forehead. If Elize kept that Monster in play, then she can continue attacking his Life Points directly, and he couldn't have that!

"I end my turn!" shouted Elize, sweat trailing down her neck. This was bad! She and Blair were both in tight situations, and Chazz and Jaden still had their powerful Monsters intact! Still, she and Blair were doing alright so far, but for how long?

"My turn goes up next!" said Jaden, drawing his card. "I play Wroughtweiler in Attack Mode!"

A robotic dog with a blue visor-like cover on his head leaped onto the field, barking loudly like any ordinary dog would do when in danger.

Wroughtweiler - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (800/1200)

"Wroughtweiler, sic on Spell Striker!"

The dog-like Monster wagged his mechanical tail as a way of saying yes to his master before pouncing onto Spell Striker, defeating him by biting the small Monster in the arm.

"Spell Striker's other ability activates! I take no Battle Damage involving him!" said Elize.

"If that's the case, I end my turn!"

"My turn!" After drawing her card, Blair was much more concerned about Chazz's Armed Dragon LV7. Since it was a LV Monster, it's possible that Chazz could level him up in his next turn. She couldn't let that happen, so she did the only reasonable action she could think of. "Guardian Angel Joan! Attack Armed Dragon LV7!"

"What?! But then, both Monsters will be des-"

"Dude, you seriously didn't think I thought of that?" interrupted Blair, sounding annoyed. "I don't care! I'm giving you a chance to power up your Monster, damnit! Go! Attack!"

Guardian Angel Joan sang a high tone as she charged up her light powers to face off against Armed Dragon LV7, who prepared to fire another one of his powerful breath attacks. Both fired simultaneously; each attack hitting the other and destroying one another.

"Now, I play Card of Sanctity, forcing each player to draw until they have six cards each!" said Blair, ending her Battle Phase. She frowned when she found no Monster cards in her hand. "I end my turn with a facedown."

"Heh! No Monsters? This'll be easier to take you out!" scoffed Chazz, drawing his card. "Nice! I play my own Ookazi! Now taste your own medicine, Blair! You receive 800 Points of Effect Damage!"

 **Blair - 2100 LP**

 **Elize - 3300 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"I summon Armed Dragon LV3 in Attack Mode!" continued Chazz. "But he's not staying for long because I now activate Level Up! By sending him to the Graveyard, I Special Summon 1 Monster from my hand on deck that's listed on Armed Dragon LV3's text, ignoring the Summoning conditions! Rise, Armed Dragon LV5!"

Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)

"Next up is Level Copy! I Special Summon 1 LV Monster that has the same name as Armed Dragon LV5 from my hand or deck! I Special Summon another Armed Dragon LV5!"

Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)

"I'll end this duel right now! I just want to hurry up and duel Jaden!" roared Chazz at the top of his lungs. "I attack Blair directly!"

"I'm not going down that easily! I activate my Trap, Burst Rebirth!" countered Blair. "By paying 2000 Life Points, I Special Summon 1 Monster in facedown Defense Mode!"

 **Blair - 100 LP**

 **Elize - 3300 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

Elize gasped, knowing that if that Monster was gone, then Blair was a goner for sure! She closed her eyes, wondering what to do to save her friend when she remembered her facedown card! Sure it may cost her Points, but that didn't matter! Once Blair's facedown Monster was gone, she had nothing to defend with in the next assault!

Snapping her eyes open, Elize raised her arm. "I activate my Trap! The One to be Protected!"

"What kind of card is that?" Alexis asked Bastion, turning to the Ra Yellow. "I've never seen that card before!"

"Neither have I. Looks like we're about to find out."

"The One to be Protected is a card that activates only when an opponent's Monster attacks another Monster. I can send 1 Monster with higher Attack Points than the Monster that's attacking from my Deck to the Graveyard!" explained Elize, pulling her deck out and shuffling through the cards until she found the one Monster she needed. "The Monster I choose is Blizzard Princess, and I change the Battle Damage to 0. The attack target can't be destroyed by the first attack. But, I lose Life Points equal to the Monster I sent to the Graveyard. Blizzard Princess had 2800 Attack Points, so I lose Life Points by that amount!"

Armed Dragon LV5 slashed at Blair's facedown Monster, but because of The One to be Protected's effect, her Monster wasn't destroyed. Armed Dragon LV5 moved towards Elize and whirled around, whipping her with his tail and sending her flying not too far back. Her cap fell off her head and landed near Crowler's feet since the teacher himself was standing nearby, witnessing the duel eagerly.

 **Blair - 100 LP**

 **Elize - 500 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"She gave up that many Life Points for Blair? But...why?" wondered Bastion, who was shocked as the other students. "Because she's his partner?"

Alexis shook her head, proud at Elize's risky decision. "No. It's because they're...friends."

"Elize! Why did you give up that many Life Points?" asked Blair, taken aback as she watched her friend standing up.

"It's obvious! I won't let you lose this duel! I...I don't want others to know about...you know!" explained Elize, turning to her best friend. "If they did, well, you told me what would happen!"

"Elize..."

If Blair and Elize lost the duel, both would have to lose their caps in front of everyone. Blair's identity as a girl would be confirmed, and she would be sent home forcibly. Both made a promise with each other not to allow that to happen.

To go this far to protect a friend's secret is true friendship, indeed.

"Jeez! Fine!" Chazz looked over to Elize's side and said, "You're low on Life Points anyways and you're all out of defenses, so I'm targeting you next, Red Hat Girl! Get ready! My second Armed Dragon LV5 attacks!"

"Huh?!" Surprised by the turning outcome, Elize's eyes went wide when the dragon's clawed palm headed towards her direction.

Jaden went wide-eyed, shocked at Chazz's decision. If Elize received that hit head on, she'll be out of the duel! And it was starting to get interesting, too! "Wait! Don't-!"

Regaining her senses quickly, Elize lifted up her arm and declared, "I activate my Trap, Call of the Haunted! This Special Summons a Monster from my Graveyard to the field in Attack Mode! I choose Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

"Doesn't mean you'll avoid the Battle Damage and destruction of your Monster!" reminded Chazz. "Attack, Armed Dragon LV5!"

Continuing on with his attack, Armed Dragon bared his fangs, about to strike down on the Fusion Monster. Forsythia glared at the offensive Monster, ready to take any blows necessary to protect Elize.

"NO! I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Blair screamed; her voice now resembling that of a girl's. "I activate my Trap, The One to be Protected!"

"Another one?!" complained Chazz, watching Blair switching card to card as she looked through her deck for an appropriate Monster.

Blair raised her chosen card, revealing to be her second Guardian Angel Joan. "Guardian Angel Joan has 2800 Attack Points! Elize's Monster isn't destroyed, she takes 0 Damage, and I receive damage equal to Guardian Angel Joan's Attack Points!"

"Blair, no! But why?!" cried out Elize as Armed Dragon LV5 walked closer to the gender-mistaken girl.

"Easy! To repay you back for what you did!" answered Blair, giving her a smile. "That card you pulled out, The One to be Protected, proves our friendship! I was so touched by it, I couldn't let you lose! You deserve to win better than anyone right now! And I won't let your action go to waste! I'm giving up all my Life Points just to save yours!"

Chazz and Jaden gandered at one another; percepting each word carefully. Was Blair about to admit his own crush on her? Was that the reason why Blair protected Elize? Even so, it was real sweet for Blair to repay the debt to Elize.

"But, you'll lose-!"

"I don't care anymore! You've..." Blair hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "You've always supported me, no matter how selfish I was! You protected this cap...and myself as hard as you could! Which is all the more reason why I can't let you lose! I...I don't want you to be teased and bullied anymore by those Obelisk Blue bastards!" Blair turned and glared up at the audience; more presumably the Obelisk Blue area. "You hear that? You Obelisk Blue guys are dicks! You're not true duelists! You're just weak bullies trying to pick on someone you think is weak!"

Many Obelisk Blues gritted their teeth and started throwing insults back at Blair, shaking their fists. Because of last month's field test, the Chancellor made it a rule that nobody could throw things, otherwise, they'd get detention, and nobody wanted that. The best the Obelisk Blues could do was yell and shake their fists.

"Well...That's one way to rally someone up," muttered Chumley, sweatdropping at the large amount of angry Obelisk Blues.

"Despite Blair's...language, I have to admit, he is right," spoke up Bastion, nodding his head. "Oh! But, you're alright, Alexis."

Alexis shook her head, clearly satisfied. "No, it's fine. Those guys deserved to be called that, even if I'm in the same dorm as them. I lose respect for others who pick on the weak anyways."

"Blair, I..." Before Elize could say anything, she finally noticed Armed Dragon LV5 drawing near her friend. "R-right in front of you!"

"Wha-"

Armed Dragon LV5 slammed his body right towards Blair, causing her frail body to fly into the air momentarily before landing down by her side. Luckily, the blow only sent a small electrical shock through her body, or the pain would have worsen. Everybody had forgotten about The One to be Protected's effect until now. But it wasn't the attack that shocked Blair and Elize.

Her hat fell off during the assault.

 **Blair - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 500 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

 **Lose: Blair**

"BLAIR!" screamed Elize, wide-eyed at her fallen, revealed figure. Blair sat up, her long dark hair flowing down near her waist level as she tried to cover up her head. It was too late anyways; for everyone saw her true appearance.

Murmurs spread throughout the entire gym while others stood by, shocked and appalled by what they saw. Sheppard stood up from his seat, Crowler was shrieking, Elize and Blair were frozen, and all their other friends shared shocked gazes at each other.

"Wait, so Blair's a girl?" wondered Jaden.

"I..." Chazz was left stunned himself. "I can't believe I, the great detective Chazz, was wrong! That...explains a LOT of things!"

"Uhhhhhh..." Unable to handle anymore surprises, Syrus fainted right into Chumley's arm, forcing the boy to panic and try to awake the blue-haired boy.

 _'So, that friend Elize was talking about yesterday...'_ wondered Alexis, gathering the puzzle pieces together. _'I...I see. Now I understand.'_

Clutching her fists, Elize walked up to Crowler, who stepped back, wondering what the girl was going to do. Instead, she just picked up her cap and placed it back on her head before returning to the dueling field, not speaking a single word.

Noticing it was still his turn, Chazz looked at his hand before placing it down. "I'll end my turn!" _'There's no way she can take down any of my Armed Dragons with the Monster she has now. Even if she destroys one of them, on my next turn, I'll just sacrifice one of my Monster for Armed Dragon LV7 and end this duel. Or, maybe Jaden will end this turn? Who knows? All I know is, she can't summon any stronger Monsters without sacrificing a Monster, and we all know she'll never do that. It's over for her!'_

"I hate to say it, but Elize is done for," spoke Bastion. "She could have summoned Blizzard Princess since she was stronger than Armed Dragon LV5. That way, Blair wouldn't need to sacrifice herself with her own Trap card."

"Maybe...But, maybe since everything was happening too fast, she panicked?" questioned Alexis, shrugging her shoulders. "Something tells me that Elize needed to summon Forsythia, though."

"My...draw!" Elize was quick to draw her card without showing any signs of hesitation; flipping it over to reveal the card she needed, De-Fusion. "I activate the Spell card, Double Summon! Instead of Normal Summoning once this turn, I can do it twice!"

"So, wait..." said Jaden. "In order to summon a high Level Monster, you need two sacrifices. So, if you summon one Monster, then you have two on your field. Which means, you'll be able to Tribute Summon and then call out a strong Monster, right?"

"No! I still don't want to sacrifice my Monsters! That policy still stands!" shouted Elize. "The Monsters I'm Normal Summoning are Hiita the Fire Charmer and Lyna the Light Charmer!"

Both female Charmers of different Attributes flew onto the field in perfect harmony, clinging onto their weapons and ready to deal any damage. They knew what Elize's next move was and smirked at her soon-to-be victory.

Hiita the Fire Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Next up, I'm activating De-Fusion! This sends one Fusion Monster on my side of the field back to the Extra Deck and Special Summons the Fusion-Material Monsters that were used to Fusion Summon that Monster! I return Forsythia back to my Extra Deck and resummon Aussa the Earth Charmer and Eria the Water Charmer!"

Aussa the Earth Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Eria the Water Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Now she has four Monsters on her side of the field! What now?" wondered Bastion, curious to see the outcome of her turn.

"So you have four Monsters. So, what? You can't Normal Summon anymore this turn!" reminded Chazz.

Elize nodded, telling him that she already knew that. "That's not what I'm aiming for anyways! I'll show you how much stronger I can be without sacrificing my Monsters like they're useless! I mean, I will sacrifice them, but-You'll see!"

"Yeah! Go for it, Elize! I'm all pumped up to see what you've got!" cheered Jaden. _'If what Elize says is true, I wanna see her true strength!'_

"I activate the effect of Jaden's Field Spell, Fusion Gate!" yelled Elize, pointing to the sky. "With it, I can Fusion Summon a Monster, but the Fusion-Material Monsters are banished instead of going to the Graveyard! I Fusion Summon Lyna the Light Charmer and Eria the Water Charmer to forge a new Monster! Cheerful light sorcerer that radiates in all brightness! Beautiful bearer of the oceans and waters all around! Crystalize together and shine your beauty forth! I Fusion Summon Isis the Ice Charmer!"

A dark portal appeared beneath the two Fusion-Material Monsters feet, dragging both of them in before closing. A large ice shard popped up from the ground and shattered, revealing the new Monster that appeared. Her beauty sparkled just like the shattered ice pieces that sparkled all around her. She wore a clear veil on her head with a tiara crown that contained one blue gemstone, her long pure snow white hair was tied in a low, long ponytail, and she wore an adoring light blue gown while holding a staff with a large blue crystal on top.

Isis the Ice Charmer - (WATER/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (1900/2100)

"Not yet! I'm not done! I use Fusion Gate's effect again and banish both Hiita and Aussa to Fusion Summon once more! Tempered mage of fiery powers! Caster of knowledgeable earths! Forge your powers together to blast through your enemies! Fusion Summon! Come on out, Lavonne the Lava Charmer!"

 **BOOM!** A pillar of lava erupted from the ground below and vanished right before a new being emerged to fight. Her red eyes matched her spunky and fierce spirit as she grinned maliciously. Her attire was different than the other Charmers, for her brown cloak was practically in tatters. She wore dark red robes that reached down her waist where she had black shorts on, and leaning against her shoulder casually was a sharp naginata.

Lavonne the Lava Charmer - (FIRE/Fusion/Spellaster) - LV7 - (2500/1500)

"Two Fusion Summons in one turn?!" exclaimed Bastion. "Remarkable!"

"Awesome Monsters!" complimented Jaden; his eyes shining with excitement. "Now give it all you've got!"

"I activate Isis's special ability!" said Elize. "Once per turn, I can declare one Attribute, either LIGHT or WATER, and I gain 400 Life Points for each of the correct Attributes for each Monster! I choose WATER, and since Clayman and Isis are WATER Attributes, I gain 800 Life Points!"

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"So you gained a few Life Points. Doesn't matter!" Chazz said. "Your Lavonne might stand a chance against one of my Dragons, but not your Isis!"

"Not yet! I activate my Spell card, Dian Keto the Cure Master! This card restores my Life Points by 1000!"

 **Elize - 2300 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"And now, I activate Lavonne's special ability! By discarding all of the cards I have in my hand and giving up Life Points equal to Lavonne's Defense Points, I can destroy all cards on the field except her!"

"Say what?!" exclaimed Jaden and Chazz upon the realization that their powerful Monsters were about to be destroyed with ease.

 **Elize - 800 LP**

 **Chazz - 2600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

Lavonne grinned and yelled, raising her arm to activate her special ability, causing a large wave of lava to rise up to the ceiling and crash down onto the entire field. All of the cards on Jaden and Chazz's fields were melting rather in a painful way, crying out for mercy before disappearing. The two boys were left empty on their sides of the field. The only Monsters still standing were Lavonne and Isis.

"Aah! Mudballman!" cried out Jaden.

"Hey! Why didn't Isis get destroyed?" demanded Chazz.

"Isis cannot be destroyed by card effects," answered Elize. "That's her second and last effect."

"My God! These Charmer Fusion Monsters are simply amazing!" replied Bastion.

"Yeah. Not only are they powerful, but they're quite beautiful, too," commented Alexis. "Wonder if there are more Fusion Monsters Elize has in stock?"

"There's one more thing I forgot to mention," Elize spoke up. "On the turn Lavonne activates her ability, she can't attack. But that doesn't apply to Isis! Go! Please attack Chazz directly!"

Isis twirled her staff around before slamming the tip against the ground, bringing forth ice pillars that went sent towards Chazz's way. Chazz yelled in pain as he was flung back by the impact of the ice pillars.

 **Elize - 800 LP**

 **Chazz - 700 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

"That ends my turn," finished Elize, seeing as she has no more cards in her hand to activate or set.

The whole audience gasped and murmured among each other, completely taken aback by the unexpected twist of events. The only female Slifer Red backing two of one of the most strongest duelists into a corner? They didn't think she's hidden such talent!

"Clearly, I was mistaken," Bastion admitted. "Perhaps Elize does stand a chance against those two."

"Yeah. But, her dueling style's changed," said Alexis. "Elize usually focuses on defensive tactics, but now, thanks to her miraculous break, she's on the offensive. I kinda feel sorry for Chazz and Jaden. They haven't even tried to cooperate as a team."

"Plus, if Jaden or Chazz tries to summon a really powerful Monster, all Elize has to do is give up her hand and some Life Points to destroy the field!" Syrus said.

"No, you're wrong there, Syrus," Bastion tried explaining. "What you say is true, but she has to give up Life Points equal to Lavonne the Lava Charmer's Defense Points. Her Defense Points are 1500. Elize only has 800 Life Points, so she's going to have to regain more Life Points before she can activate that effect again."

"Oh, right."

"Okay, here goes!" said Jaden, looking at his drawn card. "I play Elemental Hero Wildheart in Defense Mode! And that's gonna end my turn!"

A Monster with dark skin and tattoos all over his half-naked, muscular body pulled his weapon out of its sheath, jumping down and slashing at the air just once before kneeling down and using his weapon to defend.

Elemental Hero Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"My move! Ha!" Chazz mentally groaned at the card he drew. Ojama Yellow. Guess he used up his best cards way too quickly. "I summon Ojama Yellow in Defense Mode!"

The yellow, alien-like creature appeared, whistling a happy tone when his eyes bulged at the sight of the two Charmer Fusion Monsters. _**"Ooh lala! Hello, ladies! Are you seeing anyone right now?"**_

Ojama Yellow - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Isis giggled, blushing as she covered her face with her visible veil while Lavonne scoffed and turned away after spitting at the ground. Ojama Yellow didn't mind Isis, but gaped at Lavonne's harsh rejection.

"Hey, get it together, you!" scolded Chazz. "Now, I end my turn!"

"My turn! Draw!" It didn't take long for Elize to decide who she was targeting next. "Isis! Please attack Ojama Yellow!"

The Ice Charmer nodded before giving Ojama Yellow an apologetic look and a friendly wave, shocking the small Ojama. She soared up into the air before firing an ice pellet from her crystal staff, hitting Ojama Yellow in the head.

 _'Damnit! Choose Jaden's Monster next! Do it!'_ Chazz silently urged, biting his lip out of desperation.

Elize pointed to Chazz. "Now, Lavonne! Please attack Chazz directly!"

"Damnit! Why me?! Jaden has more Life Points!"

"Oh, don't worry! He's next after this! Lavonne, please! SCORCHING RAGE!"

Responding to her owner's anger, Lavonne glared at Chazz before closing her eyes for pure concentration; signaling a magic circle to form in front of her. Finished casting, Lavonne fired a stream of lava at Chazz. Unable to block the direct attack, Chazz fell down on his back as the rest of his Life Points dropped.

 **Elize - 800 LP**

 **Chazz - 0 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

 **Lose: Chazz**

"She defeated Chazz! For the first time!" cried out Syrus.

"Oh! Syrus, you're awake?" Alexis was surprised that Syrus was up and moving, considering he did faint when he discovered Blair was a girl all along.

"Yeah. Chumley told me everything, so there's no need to explain. Has anyone actually seen Elize Fusion Summon before?"

"Nope," both Bastion and Alexis said.

Chazz struggled to stand up, pounding his fist against the floor. "Damnit...I lost!"

Placing a hand on her chest, Elize began breathing in and out to regain her lost breath. Okay, so good, so far. Since Chazz is out for the count, the only opponent left is Jaden. If she beats him, she and Blair will win the duel!

Jaden smirked; his heart beating and pounding with overexcitement. All the previous duels he's had with Elize were nothing like this! He was glad he didn't regret using everything he got to push Elize to this point, since she's now filled with the will to beat him just as he was to her.

"Jaden?" called out Elize. "I'm sorry I had to do that to your partner, but now, I can't stop! I'm going to beat you and-No, me and Blair will be the winners of this duel! I won't lose! For her sake! I end my turn! Just try and defeat my two Charmer Monsters! I dare you!"

Lavonne and Isis held their weapons tightly to their bodies, refusing to let their guard down for even a moment. For their master's sake, they'll just block anything thrown in their way and achieve victory! Just a little bit more, and their master will win!

"Same for me! I'm not gonna hold back anything! And I'm gonna bet everything on this last draw! I DRAW!" Jaden drew his card for his final turn, turning it over to see the card he needed. "I use Polymerization and fuse together the Wildheart on the field and Bladedge from my hand!"

"Jeez, it's just one Fusion Monster to another, huh?" wondered Chumley.

Bladedge only appeared for a moment besides his comrade beside both he and Wildheart leaped into a swirling vortex nearby. Coming out was Wildheart, though he was claded in golden armor and a fancy new weapon to boot off.

Elemental Hero Wildedge- (EARTH/Fusion/Warrior) - LV8 - (2600/2300)

"Wildedge's special ability activates! He can attack all Monsters on your side of the field once each! So go, Wildedge!" commanded Jaden. "Attack both her Monsters!"

The first target Wildedge had on was the most dangerous Charmer at the time; Lavonne the Lava Charmer. Unsheathing his blade, Wildedge pounced off the ground and raised his weapon upwards as he began falling towards her. Lavonne tried fighting for her life by shooting lavaballs at Wildedge, but he blocked them all with his strength and slashed her in the chest, destroying her.

 **Elize - 700 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

Before Isis could gain a chance to defend, Wildedge twisted his body and swiftly slashed at her, making her scream before she dissipated into tiny pieces that fluttered in the air for a moment.

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden**

 **"Well now! The winners are Jaden Yuki and Chazz Princeton!"** announced Crowler.

"...Eh?"

Elize couldn't move nor speak a word out of shock for the reality of the duel. She worked so hard, even Blair sacrificed herself for Elize to continue the duel and yet...She lost. She failed Blair completely and now, thanks to that...

Blair, having seen enough, walked up to Elize, wanting to place a hand on her shoulder to assure her that everything was alright. But, she knew herself that Elize didn't want any physical acts at the moment, seeing how last month's field test ended up badly for her.

"...Elize? Even though you l-lost the duel and all, you did a really good job! So, you should stand tall and proud! At least you managed to defeat Chazz all by yourself!" Blair tried her best cheering up her best friend even though she herself was stuttering.

Elize faced her, trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks while she choked back sobs in her throat. "But I...I lost..." she muttered quietly. "Because of me, *hic* you're going to be sent home, and we'll never see each other, and-*hic* and the bullies will-*hic* I'm not gonna be as good as a duel as..."

She trailed off, unable to speak properly due to her hiccups. Her knees were shaking just like the rest of her upper body, ready to collapse any moment. She covered her eyes with her palms, trying to muffle her sobbing.

Putting an end to all this depression, Sheppard spoke through the intercom. **"Well done! All four duelists played well up to the end! Especially Elize and Jaden! Everyone! Let's give a round of applause to these four duelists!"**

Breaking the silence, Alexis, Bastion, Chumley, and Syrus were the first to start clapping their hands for their friends. Soon, a few other students joined before eventually, everyone in the gym applauded for the wonderful performance demonstrated for the last field test of the month.

"Hey, that duel was actually neat to watch!"

"Yeah, did you see her Fusion Monsters? Those Charmer Monsters looked kinda cute!"

"I know, right? Plus, their effects rock!"

"Both teams ruled! Awesome dueling!"

 _'They're...happy? They're not going to start yelling insults or anything?'_ Elize thought, wiping away her tears as she blinked in surprise.

"Hey..." Chazz, having gotten over his loss, walked up to Elize. "...You did good out there, I guess. But, I'm still the better duelist."

Elize sniffled, covering her face with both palms. "Thank you, Chazz..."

Jaden walked up to the three of them, giving them his usual victory pose with his three fingers in front. "Yeah! That's game! Hey, let's duel again sometime, you guys!"

"Yeah! That was pretty fun! Despite the whole consequences of losing," said Blair, her thumbs up. "And, Elize! Turn that frown upside down!" She pressed her fingers against Elize's lips and forced them upwards to make a smile.

Elize giggled and lightly swatted her fingers away. She was feeling a lot better thanks to her friends' support. Instead of mocking her, the audience were cheering and applauding for such an epic duel. Maybe some new changes to her dueling style wasn't so bad.

* * *

 _Later, in the Chancellor's Office..._

"...I see. That's why you ran away from home and came to Duel Academy."

Once the field test was over and the crowd dispersed, Blair and Elize were ordered to appear before Sheppard in his office. Knowing the reason why, the two girls forced themselves to endure what was coming to them before doing as they were told. While they did expect Sheppard, never in their minds did they expect to find Blair's parents alongside him.

Blair nodded and turned to her parents. "Mom? Dad? I'm sorry for running away from home like that. We can talk later, okay?"

The woman, most likely Blair's mother, opened her mouth to protest, but the father held his wife back, shaking his head. His wife nodded and stood back, waiting for something else to happen.

"Elize." Elize's head snapped back to Sheppard upon hearing her name being called. "Did you know, all along, that Blair was a girl?"

Blair shook her head at Elize, mouthing the words, "No," to her friend. She didn't want her friend to get into huge amounts of trouble because of her. After all, hiding a runaway kid like that was bound to have consequences.

"...Yes."

"Damnit, Elize! Why? You didn't have to answer! I would have backed you up!"

"I can't lie! Besides, Chancellor Sheppard would have found out one way or another!" Elize turned back to the Chancellor and bowed her head. "I'm sorry! I did hide Blair, and I did know she was a girl! So, I'm willing to accept any punishment for doing so!"

"Elize, no!"

"Hmmm..." Sheppard paused, wondering what to do. "Elize, why did you do it?"

"I...I just wanted a friend my age," admitted the Charmer user. "I don't have many gal friends, and Blair is only two years younger than me. Alexis, Jaden, Syrus, everyone is a good friend to me, but Blair's my best friend. Even so, that doesn't really excuse me actions, I know. So-"

"WAITTTTT!" The doors burst opened, and Syrus rushed in before standing in front of Elize, shielding her with his body. "You can't expel Elize! You can't!"

"Syrus Truesdale?" gasped Sheppard, shocked just like everybody else in the room. "What are you doing here?"

"Stop! Wait!" Jaden, Alexis, and Chumley ran inside the Chancellor's Office, standing in front of Elize and protecting her.

"Chancellor Sheppard, this is hardly unfair!" said Chumley. "If you're gonna kick out an innocent girl, you have to kick me out first!"

"No! Kick me out! I won't let this happen!" shouted Alexis.

"We're all in this together!" defended Jaden. "If you kick her out, you gotta kick us out too! We'll be expelled, too!"

Elize and Blair couldn't react properly, for they couldn't function correctly. They were risking their school lives for Elize? Their dedication for their friendship must be strong indeed if they were willing to risk this far. Everyone was focused on the task ahead, they barely noticed Zane standing nearby, watching everything unfold.

"Hold on!" announced Sheppard, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his face. "I wasn't planning on expelling anyone! Nobody's getting expelled! Besides, if I expelled all you excellent students, then the reputation of this school would drop. I could never harm a strong duelist like Elize, anyways, even if I wanted to."

Everyone sighed in relief, happy that nobody was getting expelled. Elize was touched about everyone defending her. Sure, she was scared and concern since she didn't want anyone expelling their own lives for her, but she was still happy at the same time too.

"Still, this matter cannot go unpunished," continued Sheppard. "Elize, since you told the truth, normally I would have given you two months worth of detention. But I'll cut that punishment in half and give you only one month."

"Yes, sir!"

"Now, the ferry ship will leave tommorow first thing in the morning. Why don't Blair and her parents stay for the rest of the day and night until it arrives? If that's everything, then you can all leave now."

It sounded like a clear plan for everyone, causing them all to leave the Chancellor's Office. Once they all left, Zane entered, and judging from his expression, Sheppard could tell he heard everything.

"...You lied about one thing, Chancellor," spoke Zane. "The ferries are still available, even now. They're just unloading some extra package."

Sheppard sighed and smiled. "I know. I just wanted to give Elize and Blair one more day together before they have to separate. I couldn't just tell them straight away that the ships are ready to sail off. I may be a bit strict at times, but even I have a heart. I'm always touched to see good friendship."

"...I see. This is one of the reasons why I respect you, Chancellor. You always have a good heart and think of others before yourself."

"Why, thank you, Zane! It's always nice to hear a compliment from you at times."

* * *

 _That night..._

Elize sighed, fully refreshed from the shower she took as she tried drying her hair with a towel. Receiving that warm bath felt heavenly to her and heated her up quite a bit. Noticing a note on the table, Elize picked it up with one hand.

 **"Dear Elize,**

 **Meet me outside when you're done. I have something important to give you. ~From, Blair~"**

If Blair really wanted to talk to her, why not do it right here in their shared dorm room? Shrugging her shoulders, Elize decided to hurry up and dry herself before changing into her regular uniform to do as the note said.

Outside, Elize noticed that the night wasn't that cold out, only producing a few breezes here and there as crickets filled the air with their musical sounds, hidden in the grass below. Once continuing on to walk part the grass covered with dew, it didn't take Elize long to locate a girl standing behind a tree.

Blair's back was facing Elize, her long dark hair mixing in with the dark night but still gleaming from the moonlight. Hearing the rustling of the grass swaying, Blair turned around and stared at Elize, giving her a sad smile.

"Oh...you made it...Yay..." For once, Blair wasn't sounding like her usual, cheerful self. That was to be expected, since she had to return home on a ship first thing tommorow morning.

Worried, Elize reached out a hand, but stopped. "Um...Are you...?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Both girls stared off into the distance, unable to think of anything to pass the time. After all, this was going to be their last night together before Blair leaves. They had no forms of communication, so there was a chance they would never see each other again.

It truly was a tragic tale. A timid girl and an energetic girl; both becoming fast friends and getting along with each other to overcome trials in their way. Now, they were about to depart their separate ways soon enough.

"Hey, Elize?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you keep my secret for so long? You could have done it anytime, maybe even blackmail me in order to do something for you, but you never did. So, why?"

"Well, first off, I never threaten or blackmail people. That's just wrong."

Blair giggled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. I can't imagine a nice girl like you ever doing that. Now, if it were me, I'd probably do it, but you and I are both different. You're the cute, innocent rainbow pony girl that everyone wants to cuddle and protect. Me? I'm some lovesick fangirl who'll do anything to have her crush love her. Like, going to a different school and dressing up as a boy."

"S-sure...?" Elize didn't know how to response to that.

"Anyways, why did you keep my secret?"

"...Well, it's mostly because I've never had a good female friend close to my age before. I know we're two years apart, and we're about the same height, but...I just wanted a good friend. I mean, everyone else is good and all, but you're a special one. And...I didn't want my best friend to...to..."

Blair knew that she didn't have to finish that sentence, as she couldn't hold back and embraced Elize tightly. Elize gasped a little in surprise, but smiled and leaned against her friend's shoulder. Even though it was cold in the night, both girls hugging one another was enough to warm their bodies up, even if by a little.

"...I'm sorry. I'm such a whiner and a crybaby, huh?" apologized Elize, sniffling as she wiped her tears away with one hand.

"Nah. Sure, you can be at times, but you're alright," admitted Blair. "If anything, I'm more of a whiner than you. I have to tell you something. It's about last night. I met up with Zane and..."

* * *

 _Flashback..._

 _"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about? Do you want to duel me?"_

 _"...No, it's not that."_

 _Both Blair and Zane faced each other near the lighthouse where Blair managed to find the older boy. She took a deep breath and took off her cap, revealing her true feminine appearance, which surprised Zane a little._

 _"I'm...actually a girl," admitted Blair. "My name's Blair Flanningan, and I ran away from home and joined Duel Academy so that I could meet you again, Zane. You see, I've been in love with you since we last met. You know, at the Nationals?"_

 _Zane pondered for a moment before remembering that he did talk to a girl resembling Blair. Guess she must have been another one of his fangirls or something. But, he never expected her to go this far just to meet up with him. He nodded for her to continue._

 _"Right. Well, when you won the championship match, I swore a pledge to do anything to be with you. You said that if I trained hard enough, I could enter Duel Academy. At first, I did do all that and got accepted into Duel Academy, but I hid the truth from my parents and disguised myself as a boy to avoid attention. I really did like you, Zane."_

 _The third-year old boy opened his mouth, ready to voice a rejection when Blair stopped him with one hand, indicating she wasn't finished._

 _Continuing on, Blair said, "When I got here, I met a girl named Elize. You know, the girl who Fusion Summoned those Charmer Monsters in the last field test?"_

 _Zane nodded, knowing he couldn't forget such powerful Monsters. Also, he did know Elize since she was the girl who snuck into his room before. He let her off with a warning, but what does she have anything to do with this?_

 _"Well, she may have followed me somewhere. I went to the Obelisk Blue Dorms and I...I was the one who snuck into your room. I wanted to look at your stuff, see what sort of things you liked. Then she followed me and discovered I was a girl. I ran away and left her alone. So, it's not Elize's fault! I put her in that position! I was the one who was sneaking in and looking through your stuff! She was trying to stop me!"_

 _Now there was something unexpected. Normally, the true culprit wouldn't admit to a crime they commited, but here Blair was, confessing what wrongs she's done. Maybe he was a bit too hasty? Maybe he shouldn't have snapped at Elize that time._

 _"Later, when we met up, we dueled and she won. I was touched when she didn't confess that I had been the one who snuck into your room. If she did, then there would have been an investigation, and I would have already gone home long ago. But she didn't. Me and her promised each other that I will go back home if I confess to you. But..."_

 _"But?"_

 _"For the past two months, I've spent a lot of time with Elize and her friends. Mostly Elize, but still. We've grown to be close friends. In a way, our friendship was stronger than my...crush on you. So, I just came here to admit the wrongdoings I've done to you, and asked you a favor."_

 _"A favor?"_

 _Blair fell down on her knees and bowed her head. "Please. Please don't say anything to Chancellor Sheppard or any of the teachers about me being a girl! At least, not yet! Please, just give me one day! I want to see through Elize's field test because last month, it didn't end so well. She got insulted and more bullied by those damn bullies! I don't want that to ever happen to a nice person like Elize! So, please! I want to protect Elize one last time!"_

 _"...Okay."_

 _Blair gasped, looking up at the boy. "Really?!"_

 _"Yes. But, after the field tests are over. The Chancellor can decide what to do with you afterwards."_

 _"Oh, thank you, Zane! Thank you!"_

* * *

"So, Zane knew?" questioned Elize, pulling back and holding Blair by the shoulders.

Blair couldn't bear face Elize with the guilty expression she had on. "Yeah. Zane knew, and I was pretty lucky that he gave me a chance to wait. Guess he's a much more nicer guy than I thought. Too bad I don't have a crush on such a good guy like him."

"Wait, you don't? But, I thought since you came here-"

"Yeah. Yesterday, I forgot my whole crush on him. Now..." Blair smiled. "I have...a new crush on sights."

"Can I ask who?"

Blair giggled and wagged a finger at her. "Now, that would be spoiling!~ I can't tell you that! You'll just have to figure it out on your own. But now, here! I have a gift for you!"

Raising an eyebrow, Elize watched as Blair took out her deck and shuffled through the cards before selecting one of her cards and handing it over. Elize turned it over to see it was her favorite Monster, Maiden in Love.

"Blair! This is-!"

Blair nodded, seeing that Elize already figured it out. "Yup. My favorite ace Monster. I want you to keep her! She's a real charmer!~"

"But, I can't! This is your favorite card!"

"Nah, you can have her. Besides, I already have a second one in my deck," assured Blair, closing Elize's fingers around the card with her hands. "Elize, I'm giving you that card not just as a gift, but a symbol of our friendship. That way, you'll never forget about me."

"T-then, maybe I should give you a card of my own, too?" wondered Elize. "All I have to do is return back to our room and-"

"Nope! See, that's one of the problems you have, Elize." Blair poked her friend's forehead, making her flinch. "You're too considerate, thinking you owe someone a debt once they help you out. Don't worry about it! You'll be fine!"

"But...I...Uh...Well, okay. If you say so."

Smiling, Blair hugged Elize tightly once more. "Elize, I really am going to miss you. We can't write letters or even call each other, but I won't forget you. I mean, how could I? You're the one person-no, best friend who's helped me even though I acted all selfish and stuff. Most people don't take a lot of risks for their friends. But you're different. I can tell."

"Thank you, Blair. I won't forget you either. After all, you did give me Maiden in Love."

"Yup! I know she's not much used for battling, and her special ability is practically useless to you, but I still want you to keep the cutie, alright?"

"I will!"

"Oh, and one more thing!" Blair grinned with a mischevious look on her face before leaning in close to whisper to Elize's ear. "Make sure you find a decent boyfriend in this island. Zane's available. Or maybe cool, cold Chazz? No, maybe smarty-pants Bastion? Or maybe adorable, little Sy?"

Elize's face went from pale to bright red all the way from her neck to her head. "WHAAAAT?! Oh no nonononono! W-we're all just friends! I promise! I don't have a crush on anyone-and-and-BLAIR!"

Blair snickered, pulling back before sticking her tongue out at her. "Meh! You don't have to get a crush right away, but when I come back to Duel Academy someday, I want you to tell me all about your dirty, romantic thoughts on them, you little cutie, you!~"

"BLAIR!"

Eavesdropping on the two human girls, Mystical Elf and Maiden in Love were watching from afar; both smiling. _**"I see that you are now a new addition to Elize's deck. Please, make yourself at home and hopefully, you two can spend time with her,"**_ said Mystical Elf, turning to Maiden in Love.

Maiden in Love winked at the mother-like Duel Spirit. _**"Of course! But...do you think the others will accept me? I mean, I did pretty much pissed off that Lyna Charmer girl before."**_

 _ **"Lyna may be...childish and easily angered at times, and it may take a while for the others to get used to you, but I'm sure everything will work out. But, at least try not to flirt, alright?"**_

 _ **"No problems with that! I only flirt with the Monsters I try to take control of, that's all! Besides, that Dharc guy is pretty cute!"**_

 _ **"Maiden..."**_

 _ **"Okay, okay! Fine! No more flirting! Can I at least tease a bit?"**_

 _ **"I...suppose at some degree."**_

* * *

 _The next morning, at the docks..._

"Bye, guys! I'll come back here when I'm old enough! See ya!" called Blair, waving from out the window of a ship that was slowly sailing away from the island. "Good luck out there, Elize!"

Elize felt a little embarrassed of her name being called into attention, but she, like her other friends, were waving goodbye for Blair. Seeing how Blair is a good friend for all of them, everyone, even Zane himself, went to say their farewells for the young 11-year old and hope for the best of her.

"Ha! You hear that, Zane?" laughed Jaden, turning to the calm third-year student.

"Oh, please. By the time she gets here, I'll be long gone," scoffed Zane. "Besides, she doesn't have a crush on me anymore. She has a crush on someone else now."

"Really? Who-"

"Goodbye, Jaden!" cried out Blair. "My sweet prince! I love you!~"

"WHAT?!" exclaimed both Jaden and Elize; their jaws dropped agape. Blair...now loves Jaden?! Not Zane?!

"Elize!" Jaden turned to the smaller girl and started shaking her back and forth by the shoulders. "She's supposed to love Zane, right?! That was the whole point of her coming to the island, RIGHT?!"

"H-hey!" said Elize, getting a little dizzy. "All I know is that she doesn't have a crush on Zane anymore! But she never told me who her next crush was!"

Alexis giggled. "She LIKES Zane, but apparently, she LOVES you, Jaden."

"Well, good luck in the future, Jaden," said Zane, somewhat giving his blessing as he turned and left.

"Hey, so wanna go grab some new cards?"

"Sure!"

Chumley and Syrus, not wanting to remain in the awkward situation, quickly left to resume different activities. Alexis followed suit, leaving a stunned Jaden and Elize all alone in the docks, waving back at Blair.

"This can't be happening...This is all too weird," complained Jaden.

"Jaden? If it makes you feel any better, I feel all weird too."

"Thanks, I guess..."

* * *

 **Alright! Here's the profiles for all the new Fusion cards that me and some friends made up!**

 **Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/1800)**

 **Any "Eria" Monster + Any "Aussa" Monster**

 **This card is also treated as a WATER Attribute. During your turn, if any Spells/Traps affected this card, then they're automatically destroyed at the End Phase of your turn. During either player's turn, whenever a Monster is Special Summoned, you can return one Spell card from your Graveyard to your hand.**

 **Here's Fusion Monster #2!**

 **Isis the Ice Charmer - (WATER/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (1900/2100)**

 **Any "Lyna" Monster + Any "Eria" Monster**

 **This card is also treated as a LIGHT Attribute. This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. Once per turn, you can declare one Attribute, either WATER or LIGHT, and you gain 400 Life Points for each Monster on the field with the same Attribute you declared.**

 **Here's the third one!**

 **Lavonne the Lava Charmer - (FIRE/Fusion/Spellaster) - LV7 - (2500/1500)**

 **Any "Aussa" Monster + Any "Hiita" Monster**

 **This card is also treated as a EARTH Attribute. Once per turn, you can activate this effect: Discard all cards you have in your hand, lose Life Points equal to this card's Defense Points. If done so, this card can destroy all other cards on the field except this card. If this effect was used, you cannot declare an attack involving this card for the rest of your turn.**

 **Yup! That's about it! I'll be busy for the new few weeks, so I won't be updating this story for a while, thus putting it on hiatus for a while! Thank you for understanding and read and review!**


	12. Steeling Glory

**BACK! Sorry for the wait, but you know how busy life is!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Hey! Please give me back my hat!" pleaded Elize, jumping up and down to grab her hat, which was taken by some Obelisk Blues, who decided now would be a good time to do their daily routine of messing with the Slifer Reds.

"Come and get it, then!" taunted one of the Obelisk Blue boys, who was given the hat and was raising it up to the air as far as his arm could reach. If Elize could, she would have grabbed it, but even with her on tip toes, she still couldn't reach for her hat due to her short height.

Just then, the hat was snatched by a certain Obelisk Blue Queen; Alexis, who was displeased. "What are you guys doing?! Ganging up on a girl like that?!"

"A-Alexis!"

"Crap!"

"Get outta here before I report you to Chancellor Sheppard! Again!" ordered Alexis, pointing to a different direction. The two Obelisk Blue boys didn't think twice before running off, muttering the lines of "She got lucky" or "Slifer scum."

Elize bowed her head at Alexis. "Thank you very much, Alexis! I'm sorry for all the trouble."

Alexis shook her head. "It's fine. Those bullies are the ones at fault. Here's your hat back."

Taking her hat back, Elize placed it back on her head. "Thank you! But...it seems the bullying is getting worse and worse each time...Alexis, may I ask you a question? Why do Obelisk Blues hate Slifer Reds so much? What exactly did we do wrong?"

"No, you did nothing wrong," sighed Alexis. "Not all Obelisk Blues are like that, you know. Arrogant, cocky, overconfident, and picking on the weak."

"Huh? Oh! No! I don't mean you, Alexis! You're very kind and helpful to me!" praised Elize, smiling at her idol.

Alexis smiled back at the compliment received. "Thanks. But anyways, I don't think it's anyone's fault that the bullying crisis still occurs. Obelisk Blue is known as the top, so they abuse their power too much and pick on Slifer Reds and Ra Yellows for fun. Mostly Slifer Reds. That explains why a lot of students have quit or became just as arrogant as the Obelisk Blues."

"That's...really sad," said Elize.

The older Obelisk Blue girl couldn't have agreed more. "Yeah...Even Crowler encourages the bullying even more, and he's a teacher."

"But, aren't teachers supposed to be helpful and nice and all? Why would he bully others too? If that's the case, then he's...he's...! He's nothing more than a bully himself!" burst out Elize before gasping, realizing what she said. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to yell! Please don't tell Dr. Crowler about-"

"No, no. You're right. I'm disgusted by him too," admitted Alexis, scowling. "You've got the right idea, Elize. Man, if only my dorm would stop harassing your dorm, then things would be much easier..."

"Alexis? I-I know this is kinda a rude thing to say," spoke up Elize shyly. "But the Obelisk Blues...don't really bother Jaden much. Why is that? N-not that I want him to be bullied!"

"Well, it could be because he's a strong duelist. I mean, he's managed to beat Crowler and Chazz befor"e. Not only that, but he's face countless other tough opponents before so the Obelisk Blues might have acknowledged him as a strong fellow and don't want to duel him due to their reputation."

"What does reputation have anything to do with it?"

"Well, think of it like this. If you dWoo good things, or your accomplishments are high, people might respect you and will be nicer to you," explained Alexis. "But if you do bad things or fail too many times, your reputation goes low and people might not want to associate with you anymore."

"But...I lose a lot...Oh!" Panicking, Elize pleaded, "I'm sorry, Alexis! I still want to be your friend so please-"

"Calm down!" Said Alexis, grabbing her shoulders. "I'm still going to be your friend, regardless whether you win your duels or not! So, don't worry about a single thing."

Taking a deep breath, Elize managed to calm down and nodded to the older girl, indicating she was alright.

"Say, this might make you feel better. How about you come over to my sleepover tonight?" Suggested Alexis.

"A sleepover? What's that?" Asked Elize, who's obviously never been to one before.

"You've never had a sleepover before?"

"I...didn't have a lot of good friends back where I come from," admitted Elize, not including her Duel Spirit friends.

"Well, a sleepover is only for girls only," interpreted Alexis. "It's like a mini party but only for night time. We do all sort of things like makeup, watching movies, and stuff like that. How about you meet me outside of the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm later tonight at 8?"

"Oh, sounds like fun!" Agreed Elize, nodding. "Oh...but there's a favor I want to ask you, Alexis. If you don't mind."

"Okay, what sort of favor?" Wondered Alexis, curious.

"Please...take me to Zane! I have something really important to ask him!"

"Zane...? Oh!" Alexis shook her head and smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry but I don't think he's offering dates right at the moment."

"W-what?!" Face bursting red, Elize frantically shook her head. "No, no! I'm not looking for a boyfriend right now! I just want to ask him something else! Nothing to do with love or a date or anything!"

"Oh...okay. Well, I think he's near the lighthouse. Let's go together and see what happens."

"Okay! Thank you so much, Alexis!"

* * *

 _At the lighthouse..._

"What? A duel?" Both Alexis and Zane questioned in unison.

"Y-yes, please! If it's not too much trouble..." Said Elize, muttering her last sentence as she twiddled with her fingers nervously. Maybe it was a bad idea challenging the most strongest duelist in Duel Academy, but she...she had to try something!

"Interesting...why do you want to duel me?" Asked Zane, staring at her with his arms crossed. With his calm attitude still at hand, it was terrifying to see what sort of power he held in dueling.

"I...I want to get stronger," admitted Elize, clenching her fists as she stared back at Zane, trying not to break her composure. "I don't want to get bullied anymore...but I heard that if you're really, really strong, the Obelisk Blues would leave you alone or else their reputation would drop."

Realizing what she meant, Alexis sighed and shook her head. "Elize, that wasn't exactly what I meant. I mean, challenging Zane like that is a bit too hasty."

"What's going on, Alexis?" Zane asked, turning to her. While Elize listened, Alexis revealed the conversation she and Elise had before coming near the lighthouse.

Once Alexis finished her explanation, Elize walked up to Zane. "I-I hope you don't mind, Zane. I won't force you if you don't want to duel me but-"

"No, this is fine," assured Zane. "I've been looking forward to dueling you someday as well."

"R-really? But why? I'm not as good as Alexis or Jaden..."

"That's not exactly true. While you still need to improve your skills, your Tag Team duel against Jaden and Chazz has me intrigued. Now, I'm interested in what you can do against me."

Knowing that Zane is going to duel against her, Elize smiled and nodded happily. "Thank you so much, Zane! Let's have a good duel together, then!"

"But not here. Let's go a little bit farther for more ground."

The three of them didn't go too far, only to a more clearing near the lighthouse so that they could have more space for their duel. Nobody else was around except for the three of them, and since Zane and Elize were dueling, that left Alexis as the only spectator.

"Heh...kinda fitting. This is the exact same spot where me and Jaden dueled," said Zane.

"Really? Wow, Jaden dueled you...he must be really powerful to have won against you," stated Elize, impressed.

"What? Oh, no. He lost. But he still kept up a good fight until the very end. I hope you do the same."

 _'Zane uses force and strength to overwhelm his opponents, especially with his Fusion Monsters. But Elize is completely different, almost as if she's the opposite. She mainly focuses on defensive tactics but also uses her a Fusion Monsters for attacking. Wonder how this duel will turn out?'_ Wondered Alexis.

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Zane - 4000 LP**

"So, do you want to go first, or should I?" asked Elize.

Zane shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me. You can go first if you want."

"Okay...Thank you, Zane!" thanked Elize before drawing her card. "I'll just set a card facedown and set one Monster facedown before ending my turn."

"My turn then," said Zane. "Because you control a Monster and I don't, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. Go, Cyber Dragon!"

Zane's infamous metallic dragon emerged and roared, bringing his head upwards to the sky.

Cyber Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV5 - (2100/1600)

"Cyber Dragon, attack her facedown Monster now!"

Preparing himself, Cyber Dragon began storing up a large sum of power in front of his jaws before firing away a blast of light heading for her defensive Monster.

"I won't let you! I activate Mirror Force!" Elize quickly said, defending her Monster. "When this card is activated, because you declared an attack, all Monsters you control in Attack Mode are automatically destroyed!"

A barrier-like shield appeared above her set Monster as it took the blast coming from Cyber Dragon, glowing afterwards. Retaliating, the shield backfired and shot back towards Cyber Dragon, but even Zane wouldn't show any emotion. Or rather, he refused to let down his composure.

"I summon Proto-Cyber Dragon in Defense Mode!"

This time, a dragon resembling Cyber Dragon, though the design was a bit different, appeared in place of the previous dragon.

Proto-Cyber Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV3 - (1100/600)

"As long as he's out on the field, his name is Cyber Dragon. Now, I set one card and end my turn."

"My turn!" said Elize, determined to try and deal some damage to Zane. Spotting Blizzard Princess in her hand, she knew that she can easily Tribute Summon her by sacrifcing her facedown Monster after Flip Summoning her, which so happened to be Dharc the Dark Charmer, who's a Spellcaster-Type., Still, she was still hesitant on sacrificing her Monsters, so she hesitated for a slight moment before deciding on a new plan. "I summon Ebon Magician Curran in Attack Mode!"

A small girl shorter than Elize and sporting black bunny ears and a black dress cracked her whip onto the floor, silently stating her appearance.

Ebon Magician Curran - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (1200/0)

"I attack with my Monster! Please attack, Curran!" ordered Elize.

Her Monster yelled as she threw the whip back and lashed out towards Proto-Cyber Dragon, who hissed and prepared to brace himself for the pain.

"I activate the Attack Reflector Unit Trap card!" shouted Zane. "By sacrificing Proto-Cyber Dragon, who's name is Cyber Dragon when on the field, I can Special Summon Cyber Barrier Dragon anywhere from my hand or deck! Plus, I choose to summon him in Defense Mode!"

A defensive-looking dragon popped out from the ground and twisted his body away in a snake-like gesture, rising his head upwards.

Cyber Barrier Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV6 - (800/2800)

It was too late to recall back Curran's attack, for the whip collided with the shield Cyber Barrier Dragon held up, causing the lashing attack to strike back at Curran, hitting her on the forehead and causing her to fall to the ground.

"Oh no! Curran!" cried out Elize, not even concern about the huge decrease of her Life Points. Curran shook her head and stood up, more vigilant than ever. Elize sighed in relief, knowing that Curran wasn't hurt too badly. "I end my turn!"

 **Elize - 2600 LP**

 **Zane - 4000 LP**

"My move," Zane said calmly. "First, I'll set a card. Then, I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to blow away your facedown card."

"Huh?" Grimancing as strong winds gathered in one place and were targeting her set card, Elize shouted, "If that's the case, I activate my set card before you can destroy it! I activate Damage Diet! This turn only, I can halve all damage I take this turn!"

"Hmm...So, you made me waste a good card."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize to your opponent!" scolded Zane, causing Elize to yelp. "In a duel, you can't show mercy or pity to your opponents, otherwise they'll get the upper hand. Furthermore, I was only complimenting you. It was a loss for Mystical Space Typhoon because I could have used it later, but it's too late now."

"Oh...I'm so-" Catching Zane's stern glare, Elize shut her mouth. "Uh...It's your turn! Yeah!"

"...From my hand, I activate Polymerization. Using both Cyber Dragons from my hand, I combine them together to create a brand new creature! Come forth, Cyber Twin Dragon!"

The twin-headed dragon coiled a bit before unleashing its full power in the form of several sound waves accompanied by a high pitched ringing, forcing Elize and Curran to cover their ears in pain.

Cyber Twin Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2100)

"Hang in there, Elize!" cheered Alexis, trying to encourage her friend.

"I'm fine! Thank you, Alexis!" spoke Elize. "But don't worry! Even if one of my Monsters is destroyed, I'll still have another one in play! Plus, if Zane attacks Curran, the damage will be halved!"

"Almost correct," said Zane. "But there's one important fact that you forgot. Cyber Twin Dragon can attack _twice_ in each Battle Phase!"

"Oh no!"

"Cyber Twin Dragon, destroy both her Monsters!"

Cyber Twin Dragons' jaws widen; both filled with power that took the form of lasers before obliterating the Monsters on Elize's field. Right before being destroyed, Dharc was flipped over from his set position and both him and Curran screamed in pain when they were hit.

"Dharc! Cur-Aah!" cried out Elize, thrown aside by the shockwave of both strong attacks. She fell to the ground and tumbled around a bit, though she was alright. Luckily, thanks to Damage Diet, she would receive only half the damage she took from Ebon Magician Curran's destruction.

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Zane - 4000 LP**

"Elize! Are you alright?" asked Alexis, moving to help her stand.

"Don't move!" yelled Zane, stopping Alexis right on her tracks. "Let her stand up by herself. You don't need to baby her every second."

"Yeah, but-"

"I-it's alright, Alexis! I'm okay..." assured Elize, standing back up. "Thank you for your concern, but I'll be alright. Just stand by and watch while I do my best in this duel!"

"Right..." said Zane. "I'll set a card and end my turn."

"My turn!" Elize said, spotting Polymerization as her drawn card. "I'm activating-"

"Hold it! I activate my facedown card, Trap Dustshoot!" said Zane. "If you have 4 or more cards in your hand, I get to look at your hand. If there's a Monster among them, I can select it and return that card back to the deck. So, show me your hand. Show me what you've been hesitating to summon!"

"H-huh? Okay..." Flipping over the cards in her hand, there was De-Spell, Polymerization, Aussa the Earth Charmer, Wynn the Wind Charmer, Magic Formula, and finally...Blizzard Princess.

"I knew it...I knew you were hiding something when I sensed your hesitation earlier," spoke Zane. "Was your set Monster a Spellcaster?"

"Y-yes..." stuttered Elize, finding no point in lying now, especially since she's a bit scared of Zane.

"Then why didn't you Flip Summon that Monster and used Blizzard Princess' effect to Tribute Summon her? It would have definitely changed the tides for you!"

"I...I...wasn't...thinking...I'm sorry..."

"And stop apologizing to your foes!"

"Eep! Okay!"

 _'Looks like Elize is still struggling over sacrificing her Monsters,'_ thought Alexis, feeling bad for the girl. _'I get she loves her Monsters, but even she's got to understand that Monster cards are just Monsters. It's not like they're living beings or anything. Looks like she can't get that through her mind.'_

"I have a new strategy!" Elize said, holding up her Polymerization card. "I'm activating Polymerization to bring out one of my Fusion Monsters!"

"Oh? Another one of your Charmer Monster cards?" asked Zane, curious to see what sort of Monster she'll pull out. "Alright, let's see what Monster you'll Fusion Summon!"

Elize nodded and took two Charmer Monsters from her hand and revealed them to her opponent. "I'm fusing together Aussa the Earth Charmer and Wynn the Wind Charmer to create a brand new Charmer Fusion Monster! Crackling lightning that strikes from the heavens...overpower your foes with overwhelming tempest winds and thunder! I Fusion Summon Thora the Thunder Charmer!"

Nothing happened...until a lightning bolt struck the field and left everyone blinded for a moment due to the sudden flash. Wielding a hammer with both hands, a female fighter wearing yellow armor with blond-brown hair tied in braided pigtails stared down at Cyber Twin Dragon with such cold stone-grey eyes.

Thora the Thunder Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1800)

"Nice Monster, but she's still weaker than my Cyber Twin Dragon," reminded Zane. "How will you get out of this mess...?"

"Well first, I'm activating her special ability! Once per turn, she can decrease one Monster's Attack Points on the field by 500!" explained Elize.

Thora lifted her hammer before smashing it downwards onto the ground, causing a bolt of lightning to strike from above and shock Cyber Twin Dragon, weakening them.

Cyber Twin Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV8 - (2300/2100)

"Even if she managed to decrease his Monster's Attack Points, Cyber Twin Dragon still poses a threat..." muttered Alexis to herself.

"I'm activating the Equip Spell card, Magic Formula! I can Equip it to a Spellcaster-Type Monster, and their Attack Points increase by 500!" said Elize.

The Thunder Charmer held the spellbook on one hand while now possessing enough strength to lift her mighty hammer with one hand.

Thora the Thunder Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/1800)

"Now she has enough to wipe out Cyber Twin Dragon!" gasped Alexis.

"And now-!" Stopping midsentence, Elize felt as if something was wrong; as if she _shouldn't_ attack. That's when she spotted the two set cards on Zane's field and decided that must have been a threat. "I activate De-Spell! I select a card on the field, and if it's a Spell card, I destroy it! But, if it's set, then that card is revealed. If it's a Spell, it's destroyed, but if it's a Trap, it's placed back on the field back to its set position!"

"I see...Zane has one set card, so either way, Elize will know what sort of card that he put down. It won't affect her either way, plus she'll know if the card is any danger to her. If it is, then it's obvious that she won't attack," commented Alexis. "Nice move, Elize."

"Hmph. Fine," said Zane as his card revealed itself to be the Quick-Play Spell card, Limiter Removal before it automatically was destroyed. "Using this card, I was planning to double my Monster's Attack if you attacked, but I guess there was no need. You did fairly good."

"Thank you, Zane!" sighed Elize, relieved that she didn't fall for the same mistake as before. "Now that that's done, I can attack! Thora the Thunder Charmer! Please attack Cyber Twin Dragon!"

Leaping into the air, Thora twirled her hammer with her fingers before slamming it down on Cyber Twin Dragons' heads, destroying both of them at the same time.

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Zane - 3900 LP**

"Whew! I managed to defeat a tough Monster!" sighed Elize. "I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Zane. "And I activate Card of Sanctity, allowing both of us to draw until we have 6 cards each. ...Looks like this is the end. I activate Soul Charge! I Special Summon any number of Monsters from my Graveyard, and for each Monster summoned, I lose 500 Life Points each. I Special Summon both my Cyber Dragons!"

Cyber Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV5 - (2100/1600) X2

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Zane - 2900 LP**

"With that done, I activate Power Bond! I send both my Cyber Dragons on my field and the one in my hand and Fusion Summon Cyber End Dragon!"

Both the skies and grounds rumbled as a brand new Monster, Zane's ace Monster, appeared in a terrifying manner that caused them to roar up towards the skies, so it wouldn't be any surprise if one was to hear them from afar.

Cyber End Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV10 - (4000/2800)

"Oh no! Elize can't stand a chance against a powerful Monster such as that!" cried out Alexis, noticing Elize trembling in fear of the gigantic dragon. "Zane! Stop! Call off the duel!"

Zane shook his head. "No, this is for her own good. A true duelist would stand tall and take their losses at heart so that they won't repeat the same mistakes in the future. Look at Elize. She may seem scared, but even she's willing to take the blow without running away."

 _'Aaaaaahhh! That Monster is huge! I wanna run, but my legs are shaking too much!'_ thought Elize, panicking too much on the inside.

"Thanks to Power Bond, Cyber End Dragon's Attack Points double!" informed Zane.

Cyber End Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV10 - (8000/2800)

"Attack Thora, Cyber End Dragon!"

Without much effort, Cyber End Dragons' three heads released power from their jaws towards Thora, who flew in front of Elize and tried to defend her using her own body.

"Thora's ability activates! She can't be destroyed in battle!" yelled Elize, trying to endure the shockwaves of the three blasts.

"But you'll still take the damage! And it's too much for your Monster to handle!" replied Zane.

Like Zane said, Thora couldn't handle the overwhelming pressure of the power of Cyber End Dragon and fell victim to it, though she did manage to protect her master till the very end.

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Zane - 2900 LP**

 **Winner** : **Zane**

"Whew...that was a tough duel," sighed Elize, deactivating her duel disk.

"Tough? No, more of a disappointment," said Zane, crossing his arms. "What were you thinking, holding back in that duel? I barely broke a sweat back there. If that's all you've got, then this duel was a waste of time. You're not going to go far in the dueling world if you're going to be like this."

Though his words were truthful, they still stung Elize's heart. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you an awful time. But at least you won!"

"...Yeah, and it was a pathetic victory," scoffed Zane before he walked off.

Wanting to comfort Elize, Alexis rushed over and patted her on the shoulder. "I know that Zane's saying hurtful things, but you should know that he's just saying that to toughen you up! I know you did a good job back there!"

"Yeah, don't worry. I didn't mind losing," said Elize, smiling. "Although, I should probably head back to my dorm. I think it's almost time for dinner. I'll see you later tonight, Alexis."

"Okay! Can't wait to see you there!"

* * *

 _That night, in the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm..._

Approaching the entrance of the dorm, Elize spotted Alexis waiting for her. Alexis smiled and said, "Hey, good to see you made it."

"Oh! Good evening, Alexis!" Elize bowed her head. "Was I supposed to bring anything to the sleepover?"

"No. Everything is prepared inside. Come on in!" Taking Elize's hand, Alexis entered inside with her friend. Inside there was a huge space with a sort of living room around the corner, but in the middle was a grande crystal fountain overflowing with spring water. Around the side was a staircase that led to the second floor of the dorm.

"Wow, it almost looks like a palace or a huge hotel!" Praised Elize.

"I know, right? Here, let's go to my room." Elize followed Alexis up the staircase and inside her huge bedroom, which appeared more like it came from a royal kingdom's room than just a regular dorm room.

Inside, two girls, Mindy and Jasmine, were sitting in chairs when they saw both of me entering. At first, they were glad to see Alexis, but their expressions dropped when they saw Elize.

"What's a Slifer Red doing here?" Asked Jasmine, unamused.

"Is there a problem?" Elize asked hesitantly, hiding behind Alexis.

"Of course there is! You may be a girl, but we can't have Slifer Reds here! They live in that horrible dorm full of bugs and rats! We can't be associated with someone like that!" Said Mindy.

"Mindy! Jasmine! That's so rude!" Snapped Alexis. They may be her best friends but that doesn't excuse their behavior towards all this! "I personally invited her here, so you have to treat her equally!"

"Fine...but I still don't like Slifer Reds," said Jasmine, crossing her arms while Mindy nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry..maybe it was a bad idea for me to come here," murmured Elize.

"No, it's fine! I'm sure that Mindy and Jasmine didn't mean what they meant...right?" Alexis glared at her two friends, as if wanting them to agree along what she said.

Sighing, both girls nodded. "So, what do we do first?" Asked Mindy. "Make up?"

"Awesome idea!" agreed Jasmine excitedly.

"Um...can I refrain? I'm not allowed to have makeup on without my sister's permission," said Elize, raising her hand.

"Huh? Why? Come on!~" Jasmine teased, pulling the young girl close by the shoulders. "You know you wanna!~ What your sister doesn't know won't hurt her!~"

"N-no! I can't!"

"Jasmine, stop it. You can't force her to do some makeup," said Alexis sternly.

"...Party pooper."

"Alexis, would it be alright if I had some snacks right now?" asked Mindy.

"Sure-Oh! Oh no! I forgot to get the drinks!" gasped Alexis, rushing to fetch her coin purse. "Looks like I have to go buy some. Be right back, guys!"

"Um...Alexis? Would it be alright if I went and got the drinks for everyone?" offered Elize.

"Why? You don't have to, Elize."

"No, no...I want to so that I can gain approval from both Mindy and Jasmine," said Elize, turning to the both of them. "I know I'm just some Slifer to you, but...I was hoping we could get a fresh start if I got you two drinks?"

"Elize..." Although what Elize was attempting to do was touching, Alexis knew that she didn't have to do that. All Alexis had to do was straighten both her friends up and they'd have to accept Elize even if she was a Slifer Red.

"Please, Alexis!" said Elize. "Don't worry! I'll be sure to get you your favorite brand of drink!"

"Well...Okay. Here." Handing Elize a couple of coins, Alexis told her, "There's enough for you to buy your own drink too. Down the hallway is a vending machine for drinks, so you shouldn't miss it. Remember, my favorite drink is lemonade. Jasmine's is Diet Coke, and Mindy wants Sprite."

"Okay...lemonade, Diet Coke, and Sprite! Got it!" said Elize before leaving the room.

Once she was gone, Alexis turned to confront her two friends. "You know, you guys really need to stop with this whole racist color thing."

"We're not racist!" argued Jasmine.

Alexis narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "Really? Then what do you call just a few minutes ago? You called her a Slifer slacker before, so I think that's purely racist. I told you guys before, never look down on others! Take Jaden for example!"

"Jaden...you always do have to mention him, do you?" teased Mindy, smirking.

"Wha-I have no idea what you're talking about!" sputtered Alexis, turning red.

Meanwhile, Elize walked down the hallways and was about to step forward towards the vending machines when one Obelisk Blue girl took her foot forward and caused Elize to trip flat on her face.

"Aah!" she cried out when facing the impact of the ground.

The Obelisk Blue girl who tripped her along with her two friends snickered. "Oops! My bad!" mocked the older girl with a smirk.

"N-no...It's alright! It's my fault for not looking where I was going!" assured Elize kindly as she got up. Once she inserted the coins in, the four cans came out of the vending machine. Before she could pick them off the ground, one of the Obelisk Blue girls snatched them away in her arms.

"Thought I might help you out there," spoke the teenager, smiling sickly.

"Oh! Thank you!" thanked Elize happily, reaching out to grab the drinks.

Another Obelisk Blue girl took one of the drinks, popped open the lid, and poured it all over her head. Elize shrieked and tried wiping the liquids out of her eyes as the other Obelisk Blue girls started pouring the other three remaining drinks on top of Elize.

Why? Why was this happening? Before she knew it, Elize had ran out of the dorm, crying in tears. In all her confusion and emotional state, Elize barely noticed time passing by until she reached the entrance to her dorm room, where she collapsed and started sobbing loudly.

Hearing the sobs coming from outside, Jaden opened his door and saw his friend, Elize, crying and drenched in some sticky, wet liquid. "Elize! Are you okay?" asked Jaden, running to her and placing his hands on her wet shoulders, not caring one bit about his sticky hands.

Elize possibly noticed him and didn't care, or she was ignoring him as she kept on crying, wondering what she had done wrong as Jaden, along with Syrus and Chumley who both came to see what was wrong, tried to take care of her and calm her down.

* * *

 **Finished! All thanks to Thunder Crush for giving me swell ideas!**

 **Thora the Thunder Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1800)**

 **Any "Aussa" Monster + Any "Wynn" Monster**

 **This card is also treated as an EARTH Attribute. Once per turn, you can target one Monster and decrease its Attack Points by 500. This card cannot be destroyed in battle.**

 **I know this may seem bad for Elize, but next chapter will be better experience for her!**


	13. Grave Risk

**Hated last chapter because of poor, innocent Elize getting picked on? Not to worry, but this chapter is where things start to turn and twist some more!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"So, as you can see, we can learn a lot about dueling from alchemy!" explained Banner, continuing on with his lecture.

Not many students were present in his classes, most likely because his lectures were considered boring, unrelated to dueling much, or served no purpose. Those that did attend often were bored and very few paid attention in attempts of raising their grades.

Chumley and Syrus were among the bored group, Jaden was asleep with fake, painted eyes over his closed ones, and Elize was nodding back and forth, doing everything she could in order not to fall asleep while attempting to jot down notes.

"Just as you combine two Monsters to create another, you can combine two compounds to create something equally impressive!" continued Banner, mixing a test tube full of orange liquid with another large tube with the same colored liquid; only for the two to be completely different compounds.

 **BOOM!** Once the two compounds mixed together, a small explosion full of smoke occured. Although nobody was injured, Banner was caught up in the harmless explosion and seemed slightly dizzy, plus the explosion managed to wake up Elize entirely.

"W-what?!" she said, taking a moment to assess the situation. "P-Professor Banner? Are you okay?"

Banner seemed to be on the verge of fainting. "Equally devastating..." He crashed back against his seat and onto the ground; seemingly okay though needing to rest.

Afterwards, the bell chimmed, indicating that class was dismissed right before the students got up and collected their things to leave. Jaden, having unconsciously used the bell as a sort of alarm clock, stretched his arms and yawned.

"Good morning! Learn anything new today?" wondered Jaden, excited to hear what happened during his...rest.

Elize sweatdropped. _'You couldn't wake up during the explosion, yet you woke up to a soft chime sound...Our resistances must be different.'_

Still startled by the explosion, Syrus shakingly told Jaden, "Y-y-yeah! T-to duck!"

"Oh! I almost forgot!" announced Banner, having recovered quite a bit from the small incident before. "I'm...uh...planning a little field trip!"

"Great! To where? Circus? Carnival?" Jaden asked, getting excited. After all, when he was in Elementary School, all his field trips were fun! Like, that time at the Zoo, the museum, and so on!

"Even better! We're taking a 10-mile hike all the way to the excavated ruins, where we'll be taking geologic course samples!" revealed Banner, sounding a bit too excited and a little suspicious at the same time. "Saturday at 7 A.M.! Don't be late!"

* * *

 _The next morning..._

"Only four? Where are everyone else?" wondered Banner, sounding a bit disappointed at the small number of students participating in the field trip. Speaking of small numbers, the only students attending were Elize, Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Alexis.

"T-they're probably sleeping, Professor," spoke up Syrus, noting how early it was. "You know, in their _nice, warm_ beds. With their _nice, comfty_ pillows..."

"Just like I would be doing if Banner didn't threaten us with detention if we didn't show," muttered Chumley under his breath as Banner picked up his backpack, putting it on. "It's 7 A.M. in the morning! I need my beauty sleep!"

"I'll tell you the secret to getting up early is! Staying up all night long!" encouraged Jaden.

"To tell you the truth, I could hardly sleep either!" admitted Alexis, sounding more enthusiastic. "These ruins we're going to used to host the Shadow Games!"

"Sweet! Maybe you'll find some clues, then! About your brother!"

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, that's kinda what I'm hoping for..."

"Now, we must be careful as we approach the ruins," warned Banner as he and his students took out their PDAs for navigation of the exact location for their trip. "Inside is an ancient tomb."

Yelping, Syrus realized something and pulled Jaden aside so that nobody else besides them could talk. Seeing them talk in private made Alexis want to speak to Elize as well. Therefore, she grabbed Elize's arm and dragged her somewhere not too far away from the group but enough so the others wouldn't hear them.

"H-huh? Alexis, what are you...?" wondered Elize, not expecting to be dragged off forcibly.

"Elize, I wanted to talk about that night before. You know, the night about my sleepover," told Alexis, getting straight to the point.

"U-Umm..."

Truth be told, after the certain events happening that night, Elize had been trying to avoid Alexis along with her two best friends because she thought that the next time she encountered one of them, she'd get yelled at. She felt bad about not coming back to them even after she promised to do so with the drinks and didn't want to risk losing her friendship with her admiring idol and her two friends.

"Hey, don't worry. It's alright," assured Alexis in a gentle tone. "I thought something was wrong when you didn't come back so I did a little investigating and found out that some girls from my dorm were messing around with you and chased you off, right?"

"I..." Not wanting to tattle on the girls, but also unwilling to lie to Alexis, Elize nodded. "Y-yes..."

"Don't worry about it. None of this was your fault, okay? After I found out and confronted them, I told Ms. Fontaine on them and they're serving their punishment, about a full month of detention. Don't worry. Ms. Fontaine added strict rules to the dorm afterwards so I doubt you'll have to deal with that, again."

"Okay...Thank you," thanked Elize, fiddling with her fingers. "I'm...sorry for not getting the drinks for you. I sorta wasted your money, huh..."

Alexis shook her head. "No, no! It wasn't your fault! The real ones at fault were those girls! Man, I really need to confront the Chancellor about all this bullying. But, just know that I don't blame you for any of this."

"Okay, I'm sorry for avoiding you and Jasmine and Mindy all this time. I thought that if we met up again, you'd start yelling and telling me our friendship was over-"

"I'd never do something like that! Especially over that situation, so don't worry about it anymore. Next time we have a sleepover, I'll make sure I have everything we need. Last time didn't go so well, but I promise next time will."

Elize nodded. "O-okay...I'll look forward to that."

"Time to get moving, everyone!" announced Banner, already walking ahead of his students as they rushed to catch up to him.

* * *

 _Several hours later..._

"Are we almost there? My feet really hurt!"

"No, Chumley."

"Can we take a bathroom break or something?"

"You just went 20 minutes ago!"

"I hate climbing!"

"Just bear it, Chumley."

"I hate crawling!"

"Better than walking at the risk of falling into a river, Chumley."

"I hate hiking! Are we there yet? I'm hungry!"

This time, instead of one of the other students answering, Banner decided to amuse him. "Well, Chumley I saw some red berries awhile back and-Oh, look! We're finally here!"

Everyone, especially Chumley, were relieved and stopped to sit down on the ground to rest for a few moments as they looked up to see the entirety of the ruins. Some of the structures were covered in moss due to plants inhabiting and growing through time, the ground was cracked, and rubble was all around the area.

"Isn't it beautiful? Who knows what sort of tribe came here long ago? Oh maybe there was a clash in war between some tribes for territory? Or..."

As Banner ranted onto his own theories about the ruins, Chumley and Syrus began whispering to each other. "He sure seems excited to see some rocks," whispered Syrus.

"Yeah, well I'm excited to sit down!"

Placing his backpack on the ground, Jaden suggested, "Yeah, and how about we chow down?"

Banner nodded. "I don't see why not. And then, we'll head deeper into the ruins, and a couple of sarcophaguses, and much more!"

After everyone laid a picnic blanket on the dusty ground, with the students eating separately than the teacher, the students took out their own lunches from their backpacks. Most of their lunches had riceballs and water involved but other than that, nothing interested.

"Ooh! I just love pizza! Can't wait to eat mine!" spoke Banner, excitedly searching through his large backpack.

"Huh? You get pizza and we're stuck with whatever it is I'm holding?!" complained Jaden, wanting a delicious taste of pizza, even if it was a nibble.

"You do remember that they're called riceballs, right?" reminded Elize, holding one herself.

"I'm your teacher!" protested Banner, defending his backpack and holding it tightly to his chest. "I need a big meal to uh...teach you all!"

"Hmmm..." Pouting, Jaden sat back down.

As Banner continued searching for his lunch, he frowned. "That's funny...I don't remember fur as topping for my pizza-hmm?"

What Banner fished out happened to be Pharaoh, who had crumbs all over his mouth. He burped, satisfied with the pizza he had eaten before. "Meow."

"You were supposed to stay at home, not hitch a ride and eat my lunch!" cringed Banner, collapsing to his knees as his stomach grumbled loudly while his students began eating their lunch.

Turning to the only hopes he knew, Banner clasped his hands together, pleading with anime-like tears falling down his cheeks, "M-Maybe you could share your lunch with me...?"

"Sorry! We're your students! We need these to learn!" teased Jaden as he and his friends held their riceballs protectively to their chests. After what their teacher pulled before, this was sorta payback.

"Yeah, like learning that you weren't gonna share!" pointed out Chumley as Pharaoh popped out of the bag and crawled somewhere.

"But of course I was going to share!"

"Share what?" questioned Alexis.

"Look! I have mints! Anyone want a mint? I'm sharing!" begged Banner as Pharaoh began digging up an ancient artifact that was placed in a hole and mostly covered with sand and dirt.

"Um..."Feeling bad for her teacher, Elize picked up her lunchbox, stood up, and went to sit down next to her teacher, offering half her lunch. "Here...I don't have much, but it's better than nothing, ri-"

"Oh! Thank you, Elize! You are such an angel!" praised Banner happily before turning to his students with a pouty, disappointed look. "Hmph! You should be ashamed of yourselves! Not offering your poor, helpless teacher any lunch!"

Everyone else sweatdropped at Banner's accusation despite the fact that he never intended on sharing his lunch with them. "Elize, you don't have to always offer help," advised Alexis. _'Sometimes, that girl is just too nice at times.'_

"But...Professor Banner was so hungry, and I couldn't leave him to starve. Sorry!" said Elize as Banner chowed down on his riceball.

Green beams of light burst through the ground and rose up to the skies, causing everyone to cease their lunch and stand up. Then, the sun split into three and a variety of colors fused together in the sky, almost like an aurora.

Winged Kuriboh appeared and bounced up and down, trying to warn the others. "What was that? We should run?" wondered Jaden before turning back to the light show. "But it looks so cool..."

Doriado also appeared and tapped Elize on the shoulder. _**"Elize, I sense an unknown force approaching. You and the others must flee!"**_

Elize grew serious and nodded. Now that two Duel Spirits have come to warn them, then something bad must really be going on. "Everyone, I think we should run!" she told them.

Banner also agreed with her statement. "Quick, children! Head for cover!"

Not needing to be told twice, the others rushed to find cover within the ruins, and even though several structures seemed damaged-looking or unsafe, they still provided cover or at least enough room for some.

Upon reaching a safe location, everyone except Jaden leapt right in to use for cover. Jaden stared up at the strange phenomenon, thinking that there might be something he could do.

"Jaden! What are you doing?!" called out Alexis.

"You guys stay in there! I'll lead the storm away!" said Jaden before running off.

"Jaden!"

"Where's he going?"

"Wait! Jaden! You can't!" said Elize, leaping out of the hiding spot to chase after Jaden. Alexis made a grab for her hand in order to stop her, but she was a second too late as Elize ran after Jaden.

"Jaden! Elize! Come back!" Alexis yelled, reaching her arm out to them.

Elize still went after Jaden, worried for his own sake. Little by little with each step, she managed to catch onto his trail until she caught his hand. But before Jaden was still running, she was forced to run along as well while tugging onto his hand.

"Jaden, wait! Stop! We have to go back!" pleaded Elize, trying to stop him and urge him to return to the hiding spot. "We-Aah!"

A flash of light engulfed the two of them, and everything went dark.

* * *

"-lize! Elize! Please, wake up!"

"Mmm...huh?" Struggling to wake up, Elize's eyes fluttered several times; her vision blurry for a few seconds before she regained her sight. Having seen her Duel Spirits a lot, it wasn't a surprise to see Mystical Elf waking her up, but what was more shocking was the fact that she was actually _touching_ her!

In normal cases, even if one were to see Duel Spirits, nobody could actually interact with them physically unless they were spirits themselves or if they were in the Duel Spirit World, which rarely occurs for a human. But right now, Mystical Elf, a Duel Spirit, is shaking her master, Elize, a human.

 _ **"Elize? Oh, thank the Gods that you're alright,"**_ sighed Mystical Elf, placing a hand on her chest and breathing in and out.

Sitting up, Elize gently touched Mystical Elf's hand. "M-Mystical Elf...? How exactly am I touching you? I mean, isn't that impossible?"

 _ **"Well, that's because we're in the Spirit World. Or at least, another part of it."**_

"I...remember some strange light when I was trying to chase down Jaden and-*gasp* Where are the others? Mystical Elf, please tell me that the others are safe!"

Mystical Elf gently placed her hands on Elize's shoulders. _**"Elize, please calm down. I was unable to locate any of your friends. But Jaden is right behind you along with Winged Kuriboh."**_

Whirling around, an unconscious Jaden laid on the ground spread out with Winged Kuriboh poking his cheek, trying to wake him up. When the furry Duel Spirit saw Elize, he flew up to her and squealed, knowing that she could see him and was happy she was alright.

Elize felt better when Winged Kuriboh comforted her and ruffled him on the head before she started shaking Jaden. "Jaden? Jaden! Please, wake up!"

 _ **"Elize,"**_ spoke up Mystical Elf. _**"I'm afraid my time here is limited. I must be off back to the area I originated."**_

"What? But, this is the Spirit World. I'm sure you can roam around freely, right?"

Mystical Elf shook her head. _**"It's not that simple. You see, there's a law in the Spirit World which states that Duel Spirits cannot reside in an unknown area for too long without approval. Otherwise, they're sent back to where they came from. Most areas all over the Spirit World pay no heed to this law, but there are some strict areas, such as this one, who do uphold the law. Therefore, I must go."**_

"B-but what if a bad stranger comes or something?"

 _ **"You'll be alright. We will be watching over you, so if you're in serious danger, we will come to you, though it'll take a huge cost of our power. Besides, Jaden and Winged Kuriboh will help. Also, the only reason Winged Kuriboh has lasted this long is because he may possess more power than I."**_

"I...I..." Before Elize could finish, Mystical Elf vanished, leaving her along with Jaden and Winged Kuriboh. "Oh...She's gone. I...guess I should wake up Jaden?"

Luckily for the girl, there was no need to, for Jaden was starting to wake up on his own. "Ow...where are we...?" he muttered; his first sight after waking up being a tall pyramid.

"Jaden! Are you okay?" asked Elize, grabbing his arm. Winged Kuriboh purred, nuzzling his arm in an effort to cheer him up.

"Elize? Winged Kuriboh?" Twisting his neck to look at them, Jaden gave both of them a smile before noticing something abnormal behind them. "What's that?"

Behind the trio happened to be an arch-shaped gate, similar to the cracked one back in the ruins, back before the light show occured and they were transported to...wherever they were right now.

"It's the entrance to the ruins, but...I clearly remember it being on the verge of collapsing," muttered Jaden, confused. Just what was going on?

"Um...Jaden? This may be hard to believe, but...we're in the Spirit World," revealed Elize. "This...isn't the ruins anymore."

"Whaaat?! Serious?! Awesome! I always wanted to explore my buddy's home world!" cheered Jaden, wanting to ruffle Winged Kuriboh before realizing that he could feel the softness of his Duel Spirit's fur. "Whoa! I can even touch him!"

"Ahem!" A woman garbing dark robes stood near the two of them with a serious expression. "This is sacred ground! You must leave here immediantly! You are in very grave danger!"

"Wow...What dorm are those clothes from? I wanna join," said Jaden, being completely oblivious to the situation.

"Jaden...None of the dorms have those clothes," replied Elize. "I don't think she's a student."

With her sharp hearing, the woman heard faint footsteps approaching and grabbed both Elize and Jaden with Winged Kuriboh following behind. She dragged the two of them against the blunt side of a staircase, leaning against them to avoid being seen.

"H-hey!" cried Jaden; his face being pressed by the woman's chest.

"Shh! Quiet!" hissed the woman. "Or do you wish to share the others' fate?"

"What others?"

"Shhhh!"

Although it was for a moment, the trio caught a glimpse of the approachers marching up the staircase; not even noticing the three, four if Winged Kuriboh was being counted. Their approachers acted and appeared to be black-robed soldiers wielding spears, and by the looks of things, they certainly weren't cosplaying or fooling around.

"They dress worse than Dr. Crowler!" commented Jaden. "What's going on here?"

"Also, Miss? Do you know where our friends are?" asked Elize before noticing the backpack the woman had been holding onto the whole time. "That's...Chumley's backpack! Why do you have that, Miss?"

"This came from one of the strangers that dress just like you two," answered the woman. "They have been taken by the Gravekeeper's Chief and will be punished for entering his most sacred grounds.

"What?! Punished?! No way am I letting that happening!" shouted Jaden, fierce upon learning his friends were captured. "Take us to them!"

"...So be it," said the woman, handing over Chumley's backpack to Elize. "But, know this: You were warned."

Jaden and Elize followed cautiously after the woman, with Elize and Winged Kuriboh hiding behind Jaden for they were a little frightened of the strange place.

"Tell me, strangers. By which means did you arrive here?" questioned the woman.

"The name's Jaden, and I don't even know where here is!" said Jaden. "But, I bet it's a great place where you could get a great tan!"

"I-I'm Elize...Nice to meet you, Miss," introduced Elize, giving a bow before catching up to them. "I-I'm sorry, but we really don't know how we came here. There was a bright light and then we got separated by our group."

"I see."

Eventually, the woman led the two duelists and Winged Kuriboh to a small site with barely a hallway and some high windows. Standing by the entrance, the woman firmly told them, "You will wait here."

"No I won't," said Jaden, shaking his head. "We have to go find our friends!"

" _I_ will find them," promised the woman. "Believe me, if either are you are caught, you'll be of no use to them. I'll be back."

"...Alright, fine," grumbled Jaden before the woman turned and left. He didn't like this choice, but what she spoke was the truth. They don't know anything about this place, and they had no ways of defending themselves against hordes of soldiers with sharp spears. Might as well stick to this plan and wait for her to return with their friends.

Elize sat down at a corner, bringing her knees closer to her. "W-what are we going to do? I'm getting worried...and scared."

Kneeling down, Jaden put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "Hey, no worries! If any badies wants to get to you, they'll have to get through me, first!"

"Thanks, Jaden."

* * *

 _A long while later..._

"What's taking so long?" muttered Jaden, frustrated as he scratched his head. "Is she ever going to come back?!"

"Jaden, I-I'm sure it takes time. Let's just wait a bit longer," advised Elize.

"Wait a second...what if she's working with this Gravekeeper? That would mean that we're all in big trouble!" gasped Jaden, standing up before rushing out of their hiding spot. Winged Kuriboh followed after him to protect him.

"Jaden! Where are you going?!" Elize called, also standing up and about to ran after him.

"Don't come after me! Just stay there! I'm going to try and find everyone else! Don't worry, I'll come back for you!"

Jaden was too far gone for Elize to recall him back, so she decided to wish him good luck and wait just as Jaden asked her to. Out of curiosity, she removed her deck from her pocket and took out one of her Monsters; Aussa the Earth Charmer.

Maybe...Just maybe...She can summon Aussa out of a duel and physically as well, just as Mystical Elf had done using her own power. Sitting back down, she unzipped Chumley's backpack and searched inside, hoping to find a duel disk and making a mental note to apologize to him afterwards for sneaking into his backpack without permission. Once she found it, she slipped it into her arm and made it into its full form before inserting her deck inside and taking out Aussa.

"I summon Aussa the Earth Charmer!" she called, placing Aussa's card on top of one of the duel disk's slots.

Miraculously, a bright light shined for only an instant, and a glasses-wearing, tan-robed girl appeared, kneeling in front of Elize before standing up. "What the...Elize?" said Aussa, looking around. "We're...in the Duel Spirit World?"

Elize clasped her hands onto Aussa, feeling her warm hands. "Yes. Mystical Elf told me that since I'm here, I can touch other Duel Spirits. But, she also says that Duel Spirits have a limited time on restricted areas before they're sent back to where they came from."

Aussa nodded, remembering the law. "I know. However, if a duelist calls upon their own Duel Monster, then that Duel Monster can stay as long as it needs to be until its purpose is fufilled. I imagine Mystical Elf forgot to mention that par-"

"SOMEONE, HELP US!"

"AAAAHH!"

"I DON'T WANNA BE BURIED ALIVE!"

"H-huh? Where are those voices coming from?" wondered Elize, hearing the voices yet unable to pinpoint where they could be.

Aussa closed her eyes and placed a hand on her crystal rod as the crystals glimmered for a few seconds. A section of the ground underneath Elize jolted upwards, bringing her close to the windows up high. Perhaps there might be a clue if Elize checks out the windows.

"W-whoa!" Startled, Elize looked down, finding that she wasn't far off the ground.

"Hey, check out the windows! I used my powers to help get you up, so tell me if you see anything!" ordered Aussa.

Elize gave a bow before turning her body to face the windows. "Thank you, Auss-Ah! Oh, no! Everyone!"

Down below from Elize's perspective, five coffins filled with five different people, though the lids were slightly ajar. Banner, Chumley, Syrus, Alexis, and Jaden were wrapped in bandages, struggling to break free from their prison.

"What? What do you-GAH!"

"Huh?"

Whirling around, Elize gasped; clasping both hands to her mouth when she saw Aussa being stabbed by several spears from some of the black-robed soldiers from before. Like any Monster that was attacked by a stronger Monster, Aussa shattered into pieces, leaving Elize all alone in a room full of black-robed soldiers.

"No! Aussa-!" Elize found her throat being threatened by the sharp points of several spears before she could finish her exclamation, frightening her enough to freeze. Black-robed soldiers have surrounded the area and were pointing their weapons at her except for a man in white robes.

"Get down from there," ordered the man in the white robes. It appears that out of the soldiers in the area, he seems to be the leader since he's the only other person out of place.

When the spears pulled away, Elize leapt down but fell to her side. Hurriedly, she stood up and raised her hands in the air once the spears aimed at her direction once again. Legs shaking, Elize didn't say a single word as the soldiers stared at her in case she tried to pull something. All she could do is freeze and raise her hands like she was caught doing something bad.

"Who are you?" questioned the white-robed man.

"I-I...My name's Elize! I-I don't want any trouble! Please, just let me and my friends go, and I promise we won't bother you again!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible. The tribe's laws state that if a trespasser comes into our territory, they must be punished no matter who they are. And your punishment will be being buried alive along with your friends!"

"N-no-!" Tears appeared in her eyes, Elize's legs weren't the only ones shaking; her entire body was showing signs as well. "I-If that's the case, please take me instead! My friends did nothing wrong! I don't want them to die! If-If I have to be punished instead of them, then that's okay!"

"Hmm..." Despite the tiny girl on the verge of breaking, her spirit seemed to have some nobility and courage to have some sort of self-sacrifice. "Very well..."

"What?" Gasping happily, Elize cried out, "So, you'll let them go-?!"

"Do not interrupt me, girl!"

"Ah! I'm sorry!"

Clearing his throat, the man introduced himself. "I am the Gravekeeper's Chief, and in recognizing your courageous self-sacrifice, I will offer you and your friends a chance. I will give you a challenge, and should you pass, I will release both you and your friends."

Not needing to know should she fail, Elize asked, "May I ask what the challenge is?"

"A duel."

Of course, it had to be a duel of all things. But, in Elize's case, it could have been a lot worse, so she nodded in agreement. The soldiers escorted her and the Gravekeeper's Chief towards the site of their duel, which happened to be the top of the pyramid with a large pit below them, and below happened to be where her bound friends were.

Both opponents took their places and activated their duel disks, facing against each other on opposite sides.

"Good luck, Elize! We're all rooting for you! Very, VERY rooting for you!" called Banner, scared.

"Elize! Good luck!" shouted Syrus.

"We're all counting on you!" yelled Chumley.

"Just play it safe and get your game on!" cheered Jaden.

 _'I hope she knows what she's doing,'_ thought Alexis, worried due to Elize's huge losing stake. If Elize doesn't play her cards right, this could end up very bad.

"I-I'll do everything I can!" promised Elize, prepping herself to face off the Gravekeeper's Chief.

"DUEL!/D-DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Gravekeeper's Chief -4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"I will go first!" said Gravekeeper's Chief, drawing his card. "I summon a Monster in facedown Defense Mode! I end my turn!"

Gulping down some breath, Elize drew her card. "My turn! I'll set a Monster facedown in Defense Mode too and set a card before ending my turn!"

"Then, it is my turn again!" said Gravekeeper's Chief. "No matter what Monster you set, it will stand no chance against mine! I Flip Summon my Set Monster into Attack Mode! Come forth, Gravekeeper's Guard!"

A bald man garbing black robes and wielding a spear arrived on the field after being called upon by his leader.

Gravekeeper's Guard - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1900)

"His Flip effect activates, allowing me to target one of your Monsters on your field and send it straight back to your hand. Of course, I shall choose your only remaining Monster!"

Gravekeeper's Guard thrusted his spear up in the air, twirling it around before charging towards the set Monster and unleashing his rage upon it, forcing the Monster to turn into light and return to Elize's hand.

"Oh, no! Dharc!" cried Elize.

"And now, I shall summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier!" continued Gravekeeper's Chief.

Appearing similar to the soldiers from before, a different soldier in black held a spear as his weapon of choice.

Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1500/1000)

"Now that you have no Monsters to defend you, girl, this will be quite painful," advised Gravekeeper's Chief. "Now, my Spear Soldier, att-"

"I won't let you! I activate my Trap, Threatening Roar!" called Elize before covering her ears. "Now, you can't declare an Attack this turn only!"

Once the card revealed its image cover, it emitted large soundwaves which covered the entire battlefield, causing Gravekeeper's Chief and his underlings to cease their offensive strategy and cover their ears. Meanwhile, Jaden and the others desperately wished they, too, could cover their ears, but sadly it wasn't meant to be.

"Ow...My eardrums!" complained Jaden, struggling in his bandaged bounds.

"Ugh...I have a headache," whined Syrus.

"..." Chumley already fainted.

"My, my! What a powerful shriek!" said Banner, dizzy in the head.

"Fine...you may have avoided my assault, but next time won't be so lucky!" warned Gravekeeper's Chief. "I end my turn!"

"Whew...! That was a close call!" sighed Elize; her hand on her stomach. "But now it's my turn! Oh! I activate Polymerization from my hand, fusing together Dharc the Dark Charmer and Wynn the Wind Charmer together to create a poisonous being! Please come forth, Venefictia the Poison Charmer!"

Dark cape torn and ragged, gothic-like purple dress worn, black gloves and boots on, long dark hair tied in a high ponytail, and a black witch's hat worn on top, Venefictia licked her lips and smirked evilly. Her red, snake-like eyes stared at the targets before her, and they were taken aback by her deadly appearance, almost as if she was part of the devil herself.

Venefictia the Poison Charmer - (DARK/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2500/0)

"So, Elize! Those two are supposed to be my targets?" asked Venefictia, licking her lips sadistically. "Sounds awesome!"

"Um...Yes, but you know I can only attack with you once per turn, right? Battle Phase rules," reminded Elize.

"Tch! Damn rules...Alrighty! Which one do I destroy first? Or would you rather I torture them and hang them by their intestines?"

"W-what?! No! We talked about this with everyone else!" shouted Elize, frailing her arms. "Please, just...try not to hurt the opponent's Monsters and just finish them quickly. Last time you didn't obey, well..." Elize looked down at her feet, clearly embarrassed as well as a little disgusted.

"Yeah, yeah!" groaned Venefictia. "Last time, you puked and I got punished. Fine, but..." She grinned evilly as her eyes narrowed. "I still can't wait to see the look on my victim's eyes when I stab them to death!"

 _'And this is why I don't often bring her out a lot,'_ thought Elize, sweatdropping. _'I mean, it's not that I don't like her, but she tends to take killing a bit too seriously...and fun at the same time.'_

 _'Hmm...I see. I did sense something coming from that girl,'_ thought Gravekeeper's Chief. _'It seems she does have the ability to communicate with Duel Spirits. Nevertheless, I must prepare myself for anything that comes forth!'_

"Before I attack, I'll set a Monster facedown in Defense Mode!" said Elize. "Now attack, please! Venefictia the Poison Charmer!"

"FINALLY!" Eagered to finish off her foes, Venefictia searched her pockets for her knives before flying to Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier, slashing his throat before he could so much as blink. Elize made sure to close her eyes just in time so that she wouldn't remember Venefictia's cruelty.

Gravekeeper's Chief grimanced as he took damage while Gravekeeper's Guard stood there, stunned and somewhat afraid of the sadistic Charmer. He flinched when she glanced at him before returning to her owner's side of the field.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 3000 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Yikes, that was brutal!"cried out Jaden. "But so awesome! Like-Like it came out from a movie!"

"How is that awesome?!" cringed Syrus, traumatized by Venefictia's destructive ways. "Gaah! Now I'm gonna have nightmares for a while!"

"With that, I'll end my turn, and Venefictia's ability activates!" said Elize. "For every one of my End Phases, she inflicts 100 Points of Damage for every card on your field! You have one, so it's 100 Points of Damage!"

"Yahoo!" cheered Venefictia, grinning madly as she unleashed poisonous gas from a magic circle she created. The poisonous gas spread throughout the field and surrounded Gravekeeper's Chief, causing him to grip his robes as he began coughing for breath.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

Elize felt something strange, as if she couldn't breath as well. She fell to her knees, coughing and gripping her own throat for air. Worried, Venefictia ceased the poisonous gas, causing it to vanish before turning to her owner.

"Hey, you alright?"

Once the poisonous gas vanished, Elize felt fresh air refilling her lungs before standing up, nodding. She sighed and patted her knees to clean off dirt and dust. "I'll be fine, thank you."

Still a bit weakened, Gravekeeper's Chief refused to give up the fight and drew his card. "My...turn! And now, I shall discard Gravekeeper's Commandant in order to add Necrovalley to my hand. Next, I shall activate the Field Spell, Necrovalley!"

When the entire area began shaking, Venefictia rushed to Elize, causing the girl to hug her Duel Spirit tightly as she closed her eyes tightly. The entire field changed from a pyramid-like setting to a rocky valley filled with high mountains. Of course, Jaden and the others were still safe, but still imprisoned.

Venefictia pulled away and turned around before Elize stood up. "Um...Thank you, Venefictia-"

"Hmph! I only did it so that you wouldn't fall! If you fell, the duel would be over, you would have lost, and I wouldn't enjoy tormenting my foes!"

"Yeah, okay..." Elize knew that Venefictia was only being a tsundere, as usual, but deep down, she cared for her. "Um...Mr. Gravekeeper's Chief? What's going on?"

"This is the Field Spell, Necrovalley," began Gravekeeper's Chief, glancing around proudly at his home field advantage. "As long as Necrovalley remains on the field, all of the Attack and Defense Points of any Gravekeeper's Monsters increase by 500!"

Gravekeeper's Guard - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1500/2400)

"Feh! Big deal! I can still take that guard out with ease!" replied Venefictia, pointing her daggers at Gravekeeper's Guard. "Hey, chubby! You're next!"

Gravekeeper's Guard growled but kept his cool. He was NOT chubby! That said, he needed to serve his Chief and protect him at all costs no matter how much the Fusion Charmer insulted him!

"But that's not all Necrovalley has to offer," continued Gravekeeper's Chief. "Cards in either player's Graveyards cannot be removed from place, and any card effects involving the Graveyard is negated!"

"That'll be a problem..." murmured Elize to herself.

"And now, it is still my turn! I shall summon Gravekeeper's Assailant in Attack Mode!" said Gravekeeper's Chief.

A female assassin cloaked in black and wielding a dagger made her appearance.

Gravekeeper's Assailant - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1500/1500)

"And thanks to Necrovalley, she gets an additional 500 Point bonus!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (2000/2000)

"Attack, Gravekeeper's Assailant! Destroy Venefictia the Poison Charmer!"

"But why?!" gasped Elize as Gravekeeper's Assailant leapt onto the air.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?!" questioned Venefictia, bringing her daggers closer to her, preparing to counterattack as Gravekeeper's Assailant grew closer.

"Gravekeeper's Assailant's ability activates!" shouted Gravekeeper's Chief. "As long as Necrovalley is on the field and when she declares an attack, she can switch the Battle Position of any Monster!"

The female assassin gazed at Venefictia's eyes before her own glowed white. Venefictia suddenly couldn't control her body as she was forced to kneel, grunting and struggling to get out of control.

"Oh no! Venefictia only has 0 Defense Points!" cried out Elize. She stared in shock as Gravekeeper's Assailant slashed through Venefictia easily like paper before returning back to her field.

"Now, Gravekeeper's Guard! Destroy her facedown Monster!" ordered Geavekeeper's Chief.

Gravekeeper's Guard ran forward and stabbed the set Monster, revealing to be Maha Vailo, who couldn't withstand his opponent's strength and was destroyed from being stabbed in the stomach.

"No! Maha Vailo!" shouted Elize. Now her other Monster was gone, and she was completely defenceless! Just...Just how did it come to this? All she and her classmates wanted was a nice field trip to the ruins, but...but...now this?

"Fret not! You will soon join your friends when they are muffled by the buried earth!" assured Gravekeeper's Chief.

"Jaden..." muttered Alexis softly.

"I know you can win this, Elize!" called Syrus.

"And I know I want outta here!" cried out Chumley, unable to take anymore of the suspense of the duel and being trapped in a half-closed coffin.

"No worries, guys! I believe in Elize, and I know she can win!" said Jaden, wearing a smile. _'At least, I hope so! But I know Elize will do her best at the very least!'_

"If you wish, then you may forfeit now and you will be given a painless death by one of my soldiers," offered Gravekeeper's Chief. "If not, then you may continue to duel and lose against me, suffering a painful end."

"I...I..." Her hands shaking, Elize shook her head frantically, looking quite scared at both outcomes. "I...don't want to. I'm sorry. I...I'm scared, but I won't give up like that. So, please finish your turn!"

Banner frowned, growing quite worried about this situation. It's understandable that she would be scared, but now wasn't the time to be nervous! If this fails, then his plan would collapse as well, and...if that happens...

It would be...very bad.

"Hmph. I offered you mercy, but you refused. How foolish," said Gravekeeper's Chief. "I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Elize. She was quite happy to find she drew Maiden in Love, Blair's favorite ace Monster, but even if she put her in Defense Mode, Gravekeeper's Assailant would just switch her battle position. Still, she has to do something!

"I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards! I summon Maiden in Love in Defense Mode!"

The cute girl in a bright yellow dress and flowing brown hair smiled, winking as she opened her arms, willing to embrace anyone who "loves" her.

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Next, I'll set a card facedown and end my turn!"

"How fitting...The blind lead the blind and the weak protect the weak..." said Gravekeeper's Chief, amused.

"Um...is there a problem with that?" wondered Elize, confused.

"Hmph. Hiding behind that Monster may be your line of defense, but in my world, _weak_ Monsters are for pounding, not protection! In this world, it's kill or be killed!"

Elize gasped, placing a hand over her mouth at such words coming from Gravekeeper's Chief. "How...could you say such a thing? Maiden in Love isn't weak! She's really good and kind and one of my precious friends! I don't think any Monster is weak no matter who they are. W-well, that's my opinion, anyways."

"Then you are naive!" shouted Gravekeeper's Chief. "Strength and power is all that matters here! The weak are thrown away while the strong rise!"

 _ **"**_ How dare you!" yelled Maiden in Love, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm plenty strong! You just haven't seen my abilities yet! And yeah, Elize may be naive, but at least she doesn't throw any of us away, unlike you!"

"Maiden..."

"Hmph. Shut your mouth," said Gravekeeper's Chief, uninterested in what the Duel Spirit had to say as he drew his mouth. "In fact, I shall shut it for you! Gravekeeper's Assailant! Destroy Maiden in Love once and for all! I shall activate your special ability and switch Maiden in Love's position to offensive!'

As Maiden in Love was forced to stand up by Gravekeeper Assailant's ability, this was the moment Elize was waiting for.

"I activate my Trap, Raigeki Break! I discard my last card in my hand, and destroy 1 Monster on the field! I will destroy Gravekeeper's Assailant! Go!"

The dark clouds above rumbled before shooting down a bolt of lightning, heading straight for Gravekeeper's Assailant.

"As foolhardy as it was predicable...Foolish girl! I knew you would try and attempt to trap me!" shouted Gravekeeper's Assailant. "From my hand, feast your eyes on the effect of Gravekeeper's Watcher! You see, by sending Watcher to the Graveyard, I can negate your Trap card!"

Gravekeeper's Watch flew above Gravekeeper's Assailant, shielding her with his own body before being struck by the lightning strike intended for the female assassin. Once he took the hit, his body dispersed into nothing.

"Now, I shall continue my attack! Gravekeeper's Assailant, finish her Monster off!"

Wasting no time, Gravekeeper's Assailant slashed at Maiden in Love, causing the Spellcaster-Type to shriek in pain, gripping her chest. However, she wasn't destroyed, though Elize did suffer through Life Point loss.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 2400 LP**

"What? Why isn't that weakling destroyed?!" demanded Gravekeeper's Chief.

Elize grunted through the pain, but she managed to say, "Please...don't call her weak. And, because of Maiden in Love's ability, she can't be destroyed in battle if she's in Attack Mode. Also, those who attack her get a Maiden Counter. Just as Gravekeeper's Assailant has."

For the first time since she finished her assault, Gravekeeper's Assailant just noticed a Maiden Counter on her chest, but found nothing happening to her. Still, she had to remain cautious since this was the first she encountered a Maiden Counter.

"Fine. But I will still continue my attack!" said Gravekeeper's Chief. "Gravekeeper's Guard! Attack now!"

Maiden in Love screamed in pain once she was thrusted with a spear to the stomach, but not before sending one of her Maiden Counters to Gravekeeper's Guard.

Forced to endure the pain, Elize clutched her stomach with both arms as if experiencing a stomachache.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 2900 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

"Ngh...! Maiden! Are you alright?" asked Elize, more concern about her friend than herself.

"I'm alright! No worries! Thanks for asking, though!" assured Maiden in Love, healing her wound with her own powers. It may not increase her Attack Points, but at least her injuries won't be holding her back.

This friendly interaction did not go unnoticed by Gravekeeper's Assailant, who found it rare that both Master and Duel Spirit would be friendly towards one another. Perhaps this was because she, along with her fellow Gravekeeper tribe members, may be treated with respect, but not any kindness from their Chief.

"I guess it's sorta good that cute Maiden in Love can't be destroyed if she's in Attack Mode," commented Syrus.

"Yeah, but Elize is taking major damage since her Attack Points are too low," pointed out Chumley.

"True, but it's better than having no Monster at all, or even a Monster with 0 Attack Points," said Jaden. "Elize's Monster helped reduce the damage, even if a little."

"All that's left is to worry about next turn," spoke Alexis. "Because the only Monster Elize has is Maiden in Love, and she's not strong enough to take down any of her opponent's Monsters."

"Let's see..." said Gravekeeper's Chief, glancing at his card. "I've countered your move. I've had my Monsters thrash your weakling Monster around just to get to you. There's not much left to do but place a facedown."

"Please stop saying that!" shouted Elize, recalling terrible memories of duels she's lost and her opponents insulting her "weak" Monsters. "I don't care if you insult me, but please don't insult my friends!"

"Oh? Your Monsters are your friends? Ha! Don't make me laugh! They're only tools necessary for battles in duels! Nothing more, nothing less! You're truly a weakling among your other weakling Monsters!"

Jaden gritted his teeth, thrashing around his bounds once more to go up and teach the Chief a lesson. How dare he say that to Elize and Maiden in Love? Why, if he ever told that to him and Winged Kuriboh along with his other Elemental Heroes, he would make him pay!

"Please stop it!" Elize pleaded, covering her eyes in an attempt to block anything else he insulted.

"Elize! Don't listen to him!" said Maiden in Love, trying to snap her friend out of it. "He's nothing more than a bully! He's just like all those other Obelisk Blue jerks you've dueled against! ...And lost. But that's besides the point!"

"But..." Lowering her arms, Elize turned to her Duel Spirit. "He...insulted you. I was only trying to defend you..."

"And I'm happy for that! But right now, if you don't make a move right now, then all your friends, even yourself, will _die._ So let's hurry and beat this guy!"

Feeling a bit more confident than before, Elize nodded. "Alright! I'll trust you, Maiden in Love! I draw! Now I play Card of Sanctity! We both draw until we have six cards each, refreshing my hand!"

Elize, along with Gravekeeper's Chief, drew until they met the requirements, which then, Elize gasped. Knowing what that gasp indicated, Maiden in Love turned and ordered, "Now, Elize! Sacrifice me!"

"W-what?"

"Look, I know you have Blizzard Princess in your hand, right now! In order to win, we need her power!" Maiden in Love informed. "This is your one, big chance! Do it! Sacrifice me!"

"But...I...I can't-!"

"Look!" Maiden in Love pointed downwards where Elize's friends were; trapped in coffins. "Your friends are trapped down, and they'll perish along with you if you don't do something! It's alright to sacrifice me and the others! Especially now since your friends' lives are in danger! We won't die or anything, we'll just be stuck in the Graveyard for a while! If you don't do this, it'll be something you'll regret forever!"

 _'That's true...Ever since I've become comfortable with Ritual and Fusion Summoning, things have been alright for me,'_ thought Elize. _'Like Maiden said, she and the others won't die if I sacrifice them and send them to the Graveyard. And...and I have been trying to overcome my weaknesses in order to become a strong person...This duel is...it's just like when I dueled Mr. Kaibaman! And, if that's the case, then I have to...no, WILL do it! I'm going to overcome my fear right now!'_

"I...I..." Taking a deep breath, Elize glanced at her Blizzard Princess card with determined eyes. "I sacrifice Maiden in Love and Tribute Summon Blizzard Princess!"

A blizzard rushed out of nowhere and snow showered down, causing the temperature to drop several degrees from a hot, humid one to an icy, cold environment. A beautiful blue-haired woman wearing a dress, crown, and wielding a large, crystal mace appeared; one hand on her hip.

Blizzard Princess - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV8 - (2800/2100)

"How? In order to summon a high-leveled Monster, you must use _two_ sacrifices!" reminded Gravekeeper's Chief. "Are you mocking me...?"

"N-no! Nothing like that!" said Elize, shaking her head. "You see, her special ability makes it so that if I sacrifice one Spellcaster-Type, I can Tribute Summon her! Also, on the turn she's Normal Summoned, you can't activate any Spells or Traps, so that means your facedown card along with Necrovalley can't be used!"

Gravekeeper's Guard - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1900)

Gravekeeper's Assailant - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1500/1500)

"No!"

"Now! Let's try and end this as quickly as possible, Blizzard Princess! Please attack Gravekeeper's Guard!" ordered Elize.

"About time!" cheered Blizzard Princess, wanting some action since it's been a long time since used in battle. Swinging her mace forward, the crystal tip made a direct hit on Gravekeeper's Guard, destroying him.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 1100 LP**

 **Elize - 1300 LP**

"Good job, Blizzard Princess!" praised Elize happily. "I'll set a card facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn, draw!" said Gravekeeper's Chief, growing irritated. "Because of your pathetic Monster's effect ending, Necrovalley's effect is reactivated, increasing all my Gravekeepers' Attack Points by 500!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (2000/2000)

"Don't call Blizzard Princess pathetic, please!" said Elize as Blizzard Princess huffed in annoyance. "And...yes, you're right. Her effect does end at the end of my turn."

"Yes, that is good for me. Still, you persist as both an annoyance and as a naive little girl," said Gravekeeper's Chief. "You could have destroyed Gravekeeper's Assailant before, but you didn't."

"We-well...I thought, maybe it would be better to deal more damage to you since Gravekeeper's Guard had lower Attack Points," defended Elize nervously.

"That is true, but you have forgotten all about Gravekeeper's Assailant's ability! You don't know what's good because you don't know what you're up against, ignorant girl!"

"I...I don't understand. What are you trying to say...?"

"Allow me to enlighten you then!" Gravekeeper's Chief said. "First, I shall summon Gravekeeper's Curse in Attack Mode!"

Gravekeeper's Curse - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (800/800)

"And due to Necrovalley's effect, he gains 500 extra Attack and Defense Points!"

Gravekeeper's Curse - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (1300/1300)

"Also, because he was summoned, you lose 500 points of damage!"

Tears nearly sprang from Elize's eyes as she gripped both sides of her head, crying out in pain as her body shook from the curse inflicted by Gravekeeper's Curse.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 1100 LP**

 **Elize - 800 LP**

"Behold! The power of the Shadow Games!" besiedged Gravekeeper's Chief, welcoming with open arms.

"W-what? A Shadow Game...?" wondered Elize, falling down to her knees and trying to rid her headache by shaking her head repeatedly. "I've heard about them from Mystical Elf and the others and how extremely dangerous they are, but I never imagined that the challenge was actually-"

"A Shadow Game? Of course! And it's almost over! For you! Your Life Points and your friends!"

Having said that, since Elize's Life Points decreased, the lids on the coffins closed almost entirely, though still providing some light and air for her frightened friends.

"Now, I shall activate Royal Tribute! It's a Spell that only activates so long as Necrovalley is still in play! We must discard all Monsters in our hands to the Graveyard!"

"From our hands?" Looking down at her cards, Elize sighed in relief. "Oh...Good! I don't have any Monsters in my hand!"

"But, I do, and that's perfect for the next phase of my plan. Go, Trap card! Rite of Spirit! This allows me to Special Summon 1 Gravekeeper from my Graveyard!"

"Wait...But what about Necrovalley's effect?" wondered Elize, confused. "You specificallty said before that-"

"I know what I have said, but Rite of Spirit has another effect! It cannot be affected by Necrovalley! Now that we have that out of the way, I shall Special Summon myself! Gravekeeper's Chief!"

"Yourself?!"

Just like he said, Gravekeeper's Chief vanished into thin air before reappearing right next to his Gravekeeper comrades. Technically, since he was still dueling, he was treated as both a Monster and her opponent.

Gravekeeper's Chief - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV5 - (1900/1200)

"And thanks to Necrovalley, my power increases by 500 Points!"

Gravekeeper's Chief - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV5 - (2400/1700)

 _'It's different with Kaibaman!'_ thought Elize. _'He summons another part of himself on the field but the Chief summons himself on the field! Maybe it has to do with different sorts of powers?'_

"But that's not all. Because of my effect, my Graveyard is unaffected by Necrovalley, so I am free to use it however I wish! Also, because I was summoned, I get to Special Summon 1 Gravekeeper from my Graveyard! Come forth, Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier!"

Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1500/1000)

Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (2000/1500)

"No!" Now Gravekeeper's Chief has five Monsters on his field, including himself. But...it was still alright, because out of all the Monsters on the field, Blizzard Princess has the highest.

"Now that the preparations are complete, Gravekeeper's Assailant shall attack your Blizzard Princess, using her effect to switch her to Defense Mode!" ordered Gravekeeper's Chief.

"Huh? But why?" wondered Elize. "Even if you put Blizzard Princess in Defense Mode, she has 2100 Defense Points, and-"

She then realized the full intention of his preparations. Gravekeeper's Chief didn't care if Gravekeeper's Assailant couldn't destroy her. All he needed to do was activate her special ability. Aside from Blizzard Princess, Gravekeeper's Chief currently has the highest Attack Points, about 2400. He would be next to attack and destroy her Monster, and she would receive a direct attack from either Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier or Gravekeeper's Curse, thus resulting in her defeat.

It was only for a moment, but when both Elize and Gravekeeper Assailant's eyes met, they felt a slight connection to each other. Elize's case is that she felt as if she's met the Monster before, but couldn't put the tip of her tongue in it. For Gravekeeper's Assailant, she deeply wished for no more cruelty to the Shadow Games, especially if it meant dealing with an innocent child.

"Face it! You will lose this turn! Gravekeeper's Assailant, finish her off! Quickly!" ordered Gravekeeper's Chief, growing impatient.

Gravekeeper Assailant's hesitation was all Elize needed for a quick comeback.

"I activate my Trap, D2 Shield! I target 1 face-up Defense Mode Monster I control and double that Monster's original Defense Points!" countered Elize, thrusting her arms in front of herself as if activating her own shield.

Blizzard Princess - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV8 - (2800/4200)

"Curse you! I will cease Assailant's attack!" said Gravekeeper's Chief, pulling back his assault. Had he continued to attack, he would surely have lost the duel. "I end my turn!"

Elize took some deep breaths in, relieved that she managed to survive the Battle Phase-

 **SLAP!** Winching, Elize gasped in shock when she saw a terrible act committed by Gravekeeper's Chief; slapping his own subordinate. More importantly, his own _comrade_.

"You should have attacked faster!" Yelled Gravekeeper's Chief, reprimanding her for her foolish actions. All Gravekeeper's Assailant could offer was her apologies by bowing her head and backing away.

"Why...why would you do such a horrible thing?!" Cried out Elize. "Sure, she made a mistake but there was no reason for you to overreact and hurt your friend like that!"

Blizzard Princess gritted her teeth, wanting to smack Gravekeeper's Chief with her own mace. Clearly, Elize has never seen this sort of scenario before so of course she would be horrified, but she never expected in a situation like this.

"Hmph. Friend? Do not be foolish," scolded Gravekeeper's Chief. "I believe I've said this before. The weak are tossed away while the strong rises. Gravekeeper's Assailant hesitated, meaning it was her own weakness that caused her to be punished. If she disobeys me again, I'll toss her away like everything else I've regarded as weak!"

"What...did you say?!" Exclaimed Elize, standing back up with fire in her eyes. "I can't believe this! I don't mind if you insult me, but you had the nerve to insult my friends; both human and Duel Spirit alike! Even worse, you called your own Monster weak because of a small mistake she made! Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"

"Hmph. I care not what you think of me," said Gravekeeper's Chief. "But hurry and start your turn. I grow tired of this duel and I will end you next turn!"

"Fine! But there's just one thing I want to say before I do!" She snapped before pointing to him. "You...you're just like them! Back in my world, in my school; there's these three ranks and Obelisk Blue is the highest! But they always pick on the Slifer Red's, the lowest rank! We didn't do anything wrong yet they kept bullying us! But right now, I'm going to teach you a lesson! Every card isn't weak! Every card...has a _purpose!_ "

Blizzard Princess nodded in agreement, knowing that the path Elize is now going to embrace will lead her to success. But first, she must defeat Gravekeeper's Chief at all costs, and starting now will be her first step to success!

Yet...why does she sense an unusual, angry power coming from Elize?

"My turn!" Elize drew her card and turned it around, relieved that the card would lead to her success. "I summon one of my friends, Lyna the Light Charmer!"

The white-haired Mage appeared in a bright light, smiling happily as she gripped her staff and prepared to unleash some magic.

Lyna - (LIGHT/Spellcaster - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Next, I activate two Equip Spell cards!" Announced Elize. "Rocket Plider to Lyna, and Pain to Power to Blizzard Princess!"

Lyna grunted as she held a heavy rocket in her arms while Blizzard Princess was accessorized with a white scarf with a golden symbol.

"Now, I activate Dian Keto the Cure Master, increasing my Life Points by 1000!"

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 1100 LP**

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

"Alright, Blizzard Princess and Lyna! Let's trust each other and work together!" Shouted Elize, earning "Yes" from both of them. "Good! Now Lyna! Attack Gravekeeper's Chief! Please, trust me!"

"What?! You're attacking with a weak, low attack Monster?!" Exclaimed Gravekeeper's Chief, taken aback.

With that remark, Lyna didn't hesitate on firing the rocket by pulling the trigger, forcing Gravekeeper's Chief to counter with his own magic, causing the rocket to explode once it contacted with his magic. Still, Gravekeeper's Chief didn't come out of the blast unscathed and was badly injured.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 1100 LP**

 **Elize - 100 LP**

"Why would she do that?!" Cried out Syrus as the lids started to close, leaving very little room for sunlight.

"Because I know what her plan is," said Jaden, smirking.

"The Monster equipped with Rocket Plider can't be destroyed in battle," explained Elize. "Also, the Monster Lyna attacked loses Attack Points equal to Lyna's Attack Points until the end Phase!"

Gravekeeper's Chief- (DARK/ Spellcaster) - LV5 - (1700/ 1700)

"Also, because Blizzard Princess is equipped with Pain to Power, and because I took 1700 Points of Damage, those Points are added to Blizzard Princess' Attack Points too!"

Blizzard Princess- ( WATER/ Spellcaster) - LV8 - (4500/4200)

"No!" Gasped Gravekeeper's Chief, who looked frightened just like the rest of his Gravekeepers. "How...how were you able to come to this conclusion?"

"It's called teamwork!" Said Elize, preparing to deliver the final blow. "Take our pain to power! Finish this, please Blizzard Princess!"

Now having gained new power, Blizzard Princess flung her mace straight at Gravekeeper's Chief, infused with stronger ice powers than before. The mace connected with Gravekeeper's Chief and froze him for a moment before the ice shattered.

 **Gravekeeper's Chief - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 100 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

"Whew! We won! We won!" Cheered Elize, looking at both her Monsters on the field. They grinned excitedly before vanishing along with Necrovalley, returning the field back to normal.

"Chief!" Gravekeeper's Assailant, Guard, Curse, and Spear Soldier rushed to their fallen Chief's aid. Gravekeeper's Assailant rushed there first and tried to help her injured Chief stand up.

"Is he okay?" Called Elize, running across the pyramid to reach the Chief. However, her path was blocked by Gravekeeper's Curse, Guard, and Spear Soldier.

"No! She lives!" Ordered Gravekeeper's Chief, standing up with the help of Gravekeeper's Assailant. "She was an excellent opponent."

"Thank you very much!" Said Elize. "You and your Gravekeepers did a good job too. Um...I'm sorry for losing my temper like that before. That's not like me to get angry."

"No. It seems perhaps you have taught me a valuable lesson,: assured Gravekeeper's Chief. "I now realize thanks to your actions and victory that every card does have a purpose. But you should keep your powers in check should you get angry again."

"Huh?" Tilting her head, Elize was confused. "I...don't know what you mean."

"You mean to say...you are unaware of one more power you possess?" Wondered Gravekeeper's Chief, surprised. "Very well. I shall tell you. You may possess the power to communicate with Duel Spirits powerfully, but you also have the power to inflict actual damage should you face strong feelings of anger."

"Really? I didn't know," said Elize. "I mean, I don't really get angry a lot so that might be why. If that's the case, I'm sorry for hurting you. We should probably deal with your wounds though."

Elize activated her Duel disk, causing the Gravekeepers to after cautious. But, Gravekeeper's Chief was curious to see how she would handle this and decided to let her play anything she wanted.

"I activate Blue Medicine, which is a healing Spell for both of us," said Elize as two cups hovered in the air. A jug full of blue liquid poured on the two cups before vanishing, and the two cups flew over to one person each; Gravekeeper's Chief and Elize.

Deciding to try it out, both of them started to drink from their cups, enjoying the fresh fruity beverage. As they drank, their wounds began to heal all on their own, and by the time they finished, their wounds completely closed up.

"Ahhh! That was indeed a good drink!" Said Gravekeeper's Chief as the cups disappeared."Though, I am surprised. Not many would offer healing support towards their foes."

"W-Well, I saw that your wounds were still there, and I felt bad, so I decided to heal you," said Elize.

"I thank you. But you should know that anyone would take advantage of you should you continue with this kind attitude without caution," He warned.

"Yeah...I know. People say it's a fault of mine."

"Regardless, I must tell you something of importance," started Gravekeeper's Chief. "Only one other person has ever passed this challenge. That is, until now. For having overcome your trials, I beseech you this mystical medallion. It is yours. I insist."

Walking towards her, Gravekeeper's Chief handed Elize the strange, half pendant with the red gem. "Thank you very much," she said, placing it around her neck. "May I ask why there's only one half?"

"You see, the only other who have passed this challenge holds the other half! Hopefully, when the time comes for you to battle in another Shadow Game, this medallion will serve you well."

"O-okay..." Elize wasn't too sure about another Shadow Game, but remembered why she dueled him. "Oh? Mr. Gravekeeper's Chief, sir? Could you please free my friends? Like you promised to do?"

Gravekeeper's Chief nodded and extended a hand out to the bottom of the pyramid, using his magic to open the lids and free her friends of their bandages.

It didn't take long for Elize and her friends to gather at the front of the pyramid, where they reuinted at long last. Once they did, Elize was showered with compliments from her friends.

"You did it, Elize!"

"Yeah! Nice dueling out there, Elize!"

"No kidding! You really have improved your skills!"

Embarrassed, Elize timidly said, "I-I didn't improve that much...It was mostly luck that led me on, that's all."

"Nah, you did awesome!" denied Jaden. "You should give yourself more credit!"

"I-I'll try..."

"Well then," started Gravekeeper's Chief. "It's time for you and your friends to return to your own world."

"Okay, but how?" asked Elize.

Staring at the three suns in the sky, Gravekeeper's Chief explained, "Go to the gate of the tomb. Just as the three lights combine into one, the veil of radiance shall appear before you!"

"Um...I'm a bit confused. Could you be a little more specific?"

Suddenly, a large group of Gravekeeper Spear Soldiers and Guards surrounded the group, cornering them with weapons intact. Gravekeeper's Chief didn't authorize such an approach from the group, so it was understandable that he was angry.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"They must be punished! Either by you or by us!" replied one of the Spear Soldiers.

"PUNISHED! PUNISHED!" The other soldiers spoke in unison as they grew closer.

Elize backed away, hiding behind Jaden and gripping his arm as he helped shield her. Gravekeeper's Chief stepped in front of the two to protect them and proclaimed, "Stop! She has paid for her misdeeds! She has passed the challenge! Her freedom has been earned!"

It appeared that the soldiers didn't care or that they were ignoring their Chief's orders as they kept repeating of wanting to punish the intruders while continuing to draw closer. The first row of soldiers rushed forward, plunging their spears forward towards Jaden and Elize, whom Jaden attempted to shield Elize with his own body.

 **SLASH!** Gravekeeper's Assailant skillfully sliced the spearheads off with both her daggers, though her black veil was uncovered, revealing to be the same woman who guided Jaden and Elize to a safe hiding place before.

"It's you!" gasped Jaden.

"...Yes. I'm Gravekeeper's Assailant. I'm sorry for tricking you, but I had to obey my Chief."

"Hey, it's cool," assured Jaden as Elize nodded in agreement.

"Hey, Jaden!" called Syrus, looking indignant and jealous. "Don't you think it's rude not to introduce me-I mean, _us_ , to your new friend?"

"Uh...go find your own friends."

"S-sorry, Syrus," apologized Elize. "We meant to tell you, but you and the others were already captured, and then there was the duel, and there wasn't any time to explain..."

"Elize," spoke up Gravekeeper's Assailant. "When you and your friends return to your own world, please give a message to the owner of the other half. Tell him Yasmin's still in the other world and that I haven't forgotten him. And that I believe that one day, we will meet again."

"Oh...Boyfriend," guessed Jaden awkwardly.

Elize nodded. "Okay! I promise! Um...what's his name?"

Before Yasmin could answer, the soldiers approached closer and closer, still intent on punishing the intruders until they were satisfied. "Stand back!" ordered Yasmin. "She has won the challenge and we must honor our word! We are the keepers of the grave, not the makers! If you want to harm any of them, you'll have to get through me!"

Sensing that she was serious and not willing to harm the Chief who were near the intruders, the soldiers backed away, enough to provide an open path for them.

"I would hurry," advised Yasmin.

"For sure!" agreed Jaden. "But...uh...how do we leave again?"

"Oh, I'm sure a friend or two would show you the way."

At that moment, both Jaden and Elize's decks lit up, and two Duel Spirits floated in the air; Winged Kuriboh and Card Ejector. The rest of the humans were stunned to see two Duel Spirits, such as Syrus, who began rubbing his eyes and see if he was dreaming or not.

"Hey! Hey! Follow us!" spoke Card Ejector cheerfully before she and Winged Kuriboh flew away.

"They want us to follow them!" shouted Jaden before taking off. Soon after, the rest of them followed suit; past the soldiers and towards the open areas where the two Duel Spirits were leading them.

The more they followed them, the closer they were getting towards their exits and more the suns fused together. "The lights!" pointed out Jaden, picking up the pace. "They're combining! We gotta hurry!"

"The gate!" cried out Elize, seeing the familiar gate nearly in front of them. If this gate was seen in the ruins, this the gate before them has to be the gate of the tomb as Gravekeeper's Chief described.

"Oof!" Chumley tripped and fell, spraining his ankle badly and causing the others to stop.

"Chumley!"

"Are you okay?"

"O-Old tricycle injury..." grunted Chumley, gripping his injured ankle. "Just go on without me! You don't have time to wait! Seriously! Go! You can still make it!"

"No way, Chumley! We're not leaving you behind!" said Jaden.

"That's right!" said Elize, searching through her deck. "I'm sure there's someone in my deck that can help carry you! Okay...hold on...!"

Chumley shook his head. "You must go!"

All of a sudden, Des Koala leapt out of Chumley's backpack, astonishing everyone including Syrus, who rubbed his eyes to make sure this wasn't some bad dream or anything. With no more time left to spare, he grabbed Chumley and carried him on his back, rushing forward ahead of the others towards the gate.

Once the others finally made it to the gate, the ground shot up beams of light like before, engulfing the group in a green light before everything turned dark.

* * *

 _In the real world..._

"Ow..." Standing up, Elize finally awoke from her slumber and glanced around, finding herself and the others in the same ruins they were visiting before the chaotic situation with the Gravekeepers happened. "Oh! I have to go wake up the others! Hey! Guys! Wake up!"

As Elize was trying to shake the others and calling their names, Mystical Elf and Doriado remained in her deck, talking amongst themselves.

 _ **"So, Elize somewhat discovered her other power?"**_

 _ **"Yes...We knew that eventually she would learn of it. Just not in that sort of predicament."**_

 _ **"That power is a dangerous power...Being able to inflict damage to your opponent and possibly killing them. Of course, none of this is Elize's fault as she never agreed to such a power."**_

 _ **"Indeed. It's highly likely she was just born with it along with the power to see us Duel Spirits. If only I could take that power away."**_

 _ **"It's alright. As long as Elize doesn't lose her temper during a duel, she and her opponent should be fine. We should be lucky that her offensive power isn't as powerful as a Psychic Duelist's."**_

 _ **"Yes, we can only hope and support her...**_

* * *

 **Finally finished! Man was it a pain but well worth it! I've been meaning to do this episode for a long time and now comes the time for fruition!**

 **Also I might not work on this for a while due to school coming next month and me needing to get ready and study so until then Chao!**

 **Venefictia the Poison Charmer- (DARK/ Spellcaster/ Fusion) - LV7 - (2500/0)**

 **Any "Dharc" Monster + Any "Wynn" Monster**

 **Also treated as a WIND Attribute. During your End Phase, she inflicts 100 Points of Damage for every card your opponent controls.**


	14. Doomsday Day

**New chapter coming right up at this moment!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 **BOOM!** Lightning struck downwards from the origin of its dark clouds as fury winds and raging rain pouted down endlessly that late night. In his office, Sheppard was lost in thought; a troubled look that soon turned surprise when he spotted a dark thing soaring through the dangerous, stormy skies.

Sheppard realized what was he saw and frowned, growing serious. "And so, it begins..." He murmured darkly. "The fight...the war."

The dark figure flying through such disastrous weather happened to be a hang glider that swooped down at the base of the island's volcano safely. Once landed, a young man wearing dark clothes and wearing a mysterious mask set fire to his hang glider, finding no more use of such a thing.

Around his neck was half of an ancient looking pendant, which started glowing, catching the man's attention. He clasped the pendant with one hand before glancing off at the horizon.

Wearing a faint smirk, the young man replied, "So, the other wielder of the other pendant is here. Hope he's really strong, otherwise this wouldn't be any fun."

Meanwhile, Elize was asleep and curled up in her bedsheets, sleeping like a baby, though she had some difficult sleeping with the storm shaking things up on the outside.

What she failed to notice was that her pendant granted to her by Gravekeeper's Chief was faintly glowing.

* * *

 _The next morning..._

"Jaden! Jaden!" whispered Elize, nudging Jaden on the shoulders and trying to wake him up so that he doesn't get in trouble in class again. She sweatdropped at the sight of his...smiley face mask that rested on his forehead, acting as his face. A nice attempt, but nobody would fall for something like that.

Jaden yawned, stretching his arms before looking proud and strong as he flexed his muscles. "Time to get up!"

"Uh...for the next class?" guessed Syrus.

"For lunch!" Opening the lid of his lunchbox, Jaden licked his lips hungrily before grinning. "Oh yeah! The one subject I can't get enough of!~"

"Jaden, I don't think a classroom is appropriate for eating," Elize said, voicing her concerns as Jaden looked prepared to chow down as usual.

"Just a moment there, Jaden," interrupted Banner, calling on the Slifer Red while rubbing Pharaoh's fur softly from his seat. "I'm afraid your lunch will have to wait. It seems that Chancellor Sheppard wants to have a word with you."

Gulping down the fried shrimp he was eating, Jaden's face fell. "Awww! Couldn't this wait until after lunch? Like, during Crowler's lesson? I'd really appreciate that!"

"Jaden, I'll watch over your lunch for you!" offered Chumley. "Especially if it has grilled cheese!"

"Haha! You wish!"

"Chancellor Sheppard? Aww, Jaden! What'd you do?" complained Syrus, worried for him.

"Hmm..." Pausing for a moment to think, Jaden said, "Maybe it's an reward!"

"Hahaha! No way!" shouted Chazz, standing up from his seat not too far away from the group. "It's never good news with Sheppard! You are so busted!"

"C-Chazz! I don't think it's like that!" Elize tried defending Jaden. "Maybe there's a good reason besides trouble?"

"Actually, Chazz, he wants to see you, too," replied Banner, startling the black jacket student before turning to the rest of his class. "And three others. Bastion Misawa, Alexis Rhodes, and Elize Simington. The Chancellor wants to see the five of you. Well, six including me."

Bastion and Alexis stood up when their names were called but the only other who hasn't was Elize, who was freaking out and worried.

"O-Oh no! W-What did I do wrong? N-no, wait! What did any of us do wrong?! Are we in trouble like Chazz said?" exclaimed Elize, trembling.

Jaden frowned, taking off his smiley face mask. "This doesn't sound good!"

Alexis grew concern for Elize and wished to run over and comfort the girl. Instead, she merely glared fiercely at Chazz, who flinched when he caught her sharp, eagle-like gaze. After the bell rang for dismissal, the six grouped together and proceeded to walk towards the Chancellor's Office.

"Uh...we're not going to make a run for it, Professor Banner!" said Jaden as the group continued walking down the hallway with Banner right behind them to ensure nothing...bad happened. "You don't have to escort us to Chancellor Sheppard's Office!"

"Ah, but I must. After all, he wants to see me as well."

Still feeling nervous, Elize held onto Alexis' hand as they walked until she noticed that everyone stopped moving. Curious, she let go of Alexis' hand and stepped forward, spotting Crowler and Zane right before the Chancellor's Office.

"Well, well! Look at this group of students! Some of the best duelists in the school, I see!" praised Crowler before glancing at Jaden and Elize. "Uh oh! Which one of these are not like the others?~ Clearly, some people are a little bit lost!"

"He is not! Chazz is invited!" said Jaden.

"Also, we have Professor Banner with us, so we're okay!" assured Elize before bowing her head. "Thank you for the concern, though."

"He means both of you!" shouted Chazz, disbelieved that the two of them were dumb as bricks. "Ugh! Whatever! Let's just go inside!"

Once inside, Sheppard welcomed everyone with open arms and proceeded to explain the details as best as he could, leading to more questions and more demanding explanation as to what was happening.

"Three Sacred what cards?" wondered Jaden.

"Beasts. Three Sacred Beasts," corrected Sheppard. "And due to their immense power, their colossal might, they were hidden here."

"Sweet..." Pondering for a moment, Jaden asked, "Like under the mattress or under a cookie jar?"

"Let him finish!" hissed Chazz.

"Jaden, where do you even get these bizzare ideas?" wondered Elize, sweatdropping at such important cards being hidden in convenient places.

Sheppard chuckled at Jaden's child-like thoughts. "They're not under a cookie jar. They're actually much closer than you ever think! Right below you! You see, this Academy was built in place to protect the Sacred Beast cards. They were buried deep underground. Their power sealed safely away! After all, legends has it that if these cards ever see the light of day, terrible things will happen! Buildings will crumble, light will fade, souls will fall! Our world will be no more!"

Alexis gulped as a bead of sweat trailed down from her forehead while Bastion stood, astonished by how much force the three cards possessed. Elize covered her mouth with both hands, her legs trembling as she knew Sheppard wouldn't lie or joke about something like this. The others remained silent or calm, though.

Only Jaden was the only one staying chipper. "Well, what are we waiting for? Where are these cards? I say we take them out for a spin!"

"HAVEN'T YOU BEEN LISTENING?!" screamed Crowler; a tick mark on the corner of his forehead. Oh, how much he wanted to mash his fist onto Jaden's thick skull!

"So, there you have it. This is why the eight of you are here. To protect the three Sacred Beasts from the wicked ones!" said Sheppard.

"The wicked ones...?" muttered Zane, confused.

"That's right. Seven duelists who call themselves the Shadow Riders will come after these cards. And I'm afraid one of them is already here. He arrived at the thick of last night's storm."

"Naturally," said Bastion. It was only natural that an unknown enemy would make the first move, as it was chronicled several times in a hero's book that the villain always makes the first move.

"Okay, so how do we protect these cards?" asked Alexis.

"By protecting the seven Spirit Gates!" explained Sheppard. "To get to the cards, one must unlock them! And to unlock them, one must unlock the seven keys to each gate! That, is how we will protect those cards. By protecting the keys, and here they are. One for each of you to guard."

Placing a small box in front of him, Sheppard opened it up for all to behold and see the seven Spirit Keys all arranged together almost like they were a puzzle. Ancient symbols surrounded each key, with the only different being the shape of each key, seeing how they were made to come together as one.

"Wait, so...we hold the keys?" questioned Bastion. "Won't that make us targets?"

Sheppard nodded with a a sorrowful expression. "Yes, it's true. With these keys, the Shadow Riders will seek you out."

"Uh...seek us out? You mean, take us out!" corrected Chazz.

"Only...in a duel! Fortunately, for our side, the keys can't simply be stolen. An ancient rule states that they must be won in a duel. And so, I've called upon our school's eight best in order to fight a good fight!" Glancing up, he turned to both Crowler and Banner. "Well, six best, but I needed seven, so..."

"He certainly doesn't mean me!" Crowler whispered to Jaden, who pouted and crossed his arms.

 _'He doesn't mean me, either! I mean, out of everyone here, I'm the weakest!'_ thought Elize, growing discourageous.

"Of course, if any of you don't feel like it and feel like backing out, then I won't blame you. After all, these Shadow Riders play for keeps. So, who wants to go save the world?" asked Sheppard, encouraging the others while also feeling regret about his decisions and wondering how they'll affect the future."

The others glanced at each other hesitantly, worried about the high life-staking risks. Excited, Jaden was the first among the group to collect his Spirit Key. "Count me in!" he said, placing the Spirit Key around his neck since it also acted as a necklace. "Huh, how about that? It's my size!"

Intrigued by the challenge of strong duelists approaching, Zane was the second to take a Spirit Key. "I, too, accept."

Bastion nodded, retrieving his own Spirit Key. "It would be my honor."

"I don't want you boys to be having all the fun," said Alexis, taking one along with Chazz.

"How could I refuse? I mean, our very world is at stake!" replied Crowler joyfully. "The way of life, the future of the school, and, if I said no, I wouldn't get this lovely piece of jewelry!"

"Y-yes, well...good to know that you're doing it for the right reasons," said Sheppard. "...Kinda..."

Stepping forward, Elize caught glance of the last, remaining Spirit Key in the box and reached out to grab it when she stopped, hesitating. What if she wasn't strong enough? She's too weak, so she'll easily be taken down. If that's the case, then-

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go on, go grab the Spirit Key," said Banner, lightly pushing her forward. Elize yelped and her fingers gazed onto the Spirit Key. Not wanting anymore eyes to continue looking at her, Elize just grabbed the key and held it close to her chest.

"Well, let's get started!" said Jaden, trying to cheer up everyone. "I was thinking that the best duelist should go first, so that would mean...Well, me!"

"You?!" shouted Crowler, startling Jaden and causing him to fall to the ground. "You couldn't possibly! Obviously, _I_ should go first! If not, I say Zane! After all, he did beat Jaden!" Getting all over on Jaden's face, Crowler sneered at the Slifer Red boy. "Yes, that's right! I know all about that little match you had with Zane! And I know you lost to him in no time at all! How pathetic!"

Helping Jaden stand up, Elize assured him, "It's okay, Jaden! I'm sure you did your best! If anything, I lose more than you!"

"Ah, forget the both of them!" said Chazz confidently. "I'm clearly the best choice!"

"But...didn't Jaden beat you before in that school duel?" reminded Elize. "I mean, if you couldn't beat Jaden, and if Jaden got beat by Zane, wouldn't Zane be the obvious choice."

Eye twitching and teeth gritting, Chazz placed Elize in a headlock and began ruffling her hair roughly. "Grrrrrrr! Don't remind me!"

"Aaaaaah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"There's no choice! This isn't some tournament where we choose who goes first!" scolded Sheppard, unable to believe that his students and even Crowler were acting this way immaturely. "This is war! You could be attacked by your enemy at any time at any place! So, my students, be on guard!"

* * *

 _Later..._

 _'What do I do...? I have a Spirit Key, so it's likely that I'll be targeted,'_ thought Elize, walking down the hallways of Duel Academy. She gripped her Spirit Key so hard so her knuckles started to turn white from stress and too much restraint. _'But...! I don't want to let the others down! But at the same time, I'm too scared...!'_

"-lize! Elize! ELIZE!"

"Huh?" Turning around, Elize saw Alexis running up to her, waving her hand before she stood in front of the girl. "O-oh, hello, Alexis!"

"Elize, didn't you hear me? I've been trying to call out to you," Alexis lightly scolded, placing both hands on her hips.

"Y-you were? Oh...I'm sorry, then. I probably couldn't hear you."

 _'I wasn't even that far away from you,'_ thought Alexis, sweatdropping. "Elize? Are you worried about the whole situation with the Spirit Keys and the Shadow Riders? Is that what this is all about?"

"N-no! I'm okay! Don't worry! I promise, I won't fail you!" cried out Elize quickly, shaking her head and backing away while clenching her Spirit Key.

Alexis' face fell. "Elize, it's alright. You don't need to worry. It's okay to be scared."

Elize shook her head. "Sometimes, I don't think that's the case. You say that it's okay...but I don't think it is. Other duelists I faced are really mean and tell me to quit being a crybaby..."

Alexis wanted to groan. Of course, the Obelisk Blues would tell her something like that! "Listen, don't pay attention to people like that! They're the bad ones here! Tell you what, how about we have a sleepover tonight?"

"But, last time-"

"That happened in the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm. But this time, how about we go to your room? I heard from Jaden that you have a bunk bed, so we can share the two beds!" suggested Alexis.

"That's true," said Elize nodding as she was warming up to the idea. "But it's the Slifer Red Dorm, the lowest ranking dorm on campus. Are you sure you want to spend the night there? Getting the drinks and food is no problem, but..."

"That's fine with me," said Alexis. "So, what do you say? Agree to one girl's night out? I doubt Mindy and Jasmine will come to the Slifer Red Dorm, though."

Feeling safer and more relaxed with Alexis, who's been nothing but a sister figure and role model all this time, Elize nodded. "Okay, I don't mind. I guess, in a way, this will make up for what happened in the last sleepover. But before that, do you think we can go around and ask people for dueling?"

"You want to train?"

"Yes...I think that the more that we train, the more that we'll be ready for the Shadow Riders. Or, at least, that's what I think."

Alexis couldn't have agreed more with Elize. "Alright. Let's do it. You're right, and this will help improve our dueling skills, anyways. Might as well go for it."

* * *

 _That night..._

"Alexis? I think we should thank Miss Dorothy tommorow for lending us these grocery bags to carry all this stuff around," suggested Elize, holding two small grocery bags full of snacks and drinks in her arms.

Alexis nodded, carrying a large grocery bag of her own. She looked back at the road in front of them as the two girls continued to walk down the trail towards the Slifer Red Dorms. She still couldn't get the thought of the Spirit Keys and Shadow Riders off her mind even though she assured Elize it would be alright.

 _'If what Chancellor Sheppard says was right and the Shadow Riders get to decide who to duel, then the odds are that they'll go after who's weakest first,'_ thought Alexis, glancing at Elize. _'And with that Slifer Red jacket, it's either Jaden or Elize. Since Jaden's more skilled than Elize, Elize should be Target #1. I should probably warn her, but I don't want to upset and frighten her. I'll protect her, though!'_

Hidden deep in the woods near the Slifer Red Dorm was a masked man, whose eyes glowed red in the dark night as he awaited to challenge his first opponent.

Meanwhile, Jaden and his roommates were fast asleep in their comfty dorm room when a bright light shined through their window. This alerted Winged Kuriboh as he flew toward Jaden and started nudging him to wake him up.

His attempts succeeded as Jaden slowly started awakening. "Whoa, Kuriboh...Can you keep it down?"

Winged Kuriboh started bouncing up and down on Jaden's bed until he groaned and started getting up. Eyes widening at the sight of such brilliant light, Jaden rubbed his eyes and figured he wasn't in some dream. Like Winged Kuriboh, he tried to wake his two friends up from slumber.

"Hey, guys! Wake up! Sy, come on! Chum, you gotta check this out!"

As the two girls began approaching the Slifer Red Dorm, one of Elize's Duel Spirits, Hiita the Fire Charmer appeared in front of Elize, causing the girl to stop. _**"Elize, you gotta hurry! I sense something wrong in Jaden's room!"**_

"Jaden's in trouble?" wondered Elize, confused. Before Alexis could question what Elize was talking about, the light from Jaden's dorm room nearly blinded them, but at the same time, alerted them that something was wrong.

"Oh, no! Jaden!" Both Alexis and Elize dropped the groceries they were carrying before rushing up the dorm stairs towards Jaden's dorm room. Luckily for them, Jaden often forgets to lock his door, so it was easier to gain access to his room.

Upon entering the room, the two girls entered the bright room, although everything was somewhat blurry and it felt as though they entered inside a different room inside a room. In reality, they seemed to have entered a force field area controlled by the enemy.

Jaden, who had been trying to wake up Chumley and Syrus, spotted the two girls. "Hey, what's happening?!"

"Ahahaha!" A maniacal laughter echoed in the room before answering Jaden's question. "The first duel is happening!"

The three duelists had to shut their eyes the moment light blinded them before every resident inside the room was teleported away.

* * *

 _Inside a volcano..._

The insides of the volcano was brimming with hot, boiling lava which spurted out bubbles that, in less than a second, popped. Smoke arose from the ocean of lava, making it extremely dangerous to enter inside the volcano, yet a clear floor providing a large amount of space opened high above the lava right before Jaden, Alexis, and Elize landed on top of the floor.

"Where are we?" gasped Alexis, glancing around.

"In one very weird dream," muttered Jaden, pondering if this was really reality or just some nightmare he can't seem to wake up from.

"I think we're in some sort of volcano," voiced Elize. Jaden crawled closer to the edge of the floor to see if the lava was real when flames shot up from the lava, startling the three before the flames took the form of a dragon that exploded once it came into impact with the same floor.

Emerging from the explosive flames was a dark, masked man who started approaching the three of them with a sinister grin on his face.

"What's going on?!" demanded Jaden.

"You mean, you don't know?" said the masked man.

"Call me a slow learner."

"And call me Nightshroud!"

"...Nightshroud?"

"I'll be the one taking that key you have around your neck!" the masked man named Nightshroud replied, extending his arm forward as if reaching for the Spirit Key in Jaden's possession.

Jaden blinked. "Wow, you guys sure don't waste time, do ya?"

"Hmm?" Noticing half of his pendant glowing, Nightshroud glanced his before noticing the other half of the pendant around Elize's neck, which also came in resonance with Nightshroud's pendant. "Nice medallion. The Gravekeeper must be getting sloppy."

"Huh?" Glancing down at her own pendant, Elize held it close to her chest. "P-please don't say that...The Gravekeeper's Chief was really powerful...Wait, why do you know him?"

Nightshroud pointed to his pendant. "Because I have the other half of the pendant, or were you too blind to see that? Anyways, I think I'll change my target and focus on you first, girly!"

"W-what?!"

"HEY!" Shielding Elize, Jaden glared at Nightshroud, not wanting his friend to be forced to duel him. "If you wanna duel someone, duel me! Leave her out of this!"

"Patience. You'll get your turn. Besides, if you don't comply, then I have other methods. For example, I have certain...friends who'd be delighted to meet you," spoke Nightshroud sadistically. "Here, say hello to Syrus and Chumley!"

"JADEN!"

"Help us!"

Alexis, Jaden, and Elize gasped when they saw both Syrus and Chumley encased in an orb of light over lava. They were crying out for help and smashing their fists against the orb, frightened of the lava and the terrible results should they happen to fall in.

"Oh, no!" cried out Jaden.

"Hold on!" shouted Alexis as Elize stood there, terrified.

"Looks like they're in hot water, or rather, hot, molten lava," joked around Nightshroud. "But then, such is the nature of a Shadow Game!"

"Shadow Game?!" gasped Jaden, realizing what that meant. "Look, just duel me! But let them go!"

Nightshroud shook his head. "I'm afraid not! I need them for a speedy match! After all, that protection orb...Well, let's just say it's not exactly meant to last. Oh, and I'm afraid there's more too!" Holding up a blank card, Nightshroud explained, "For you see, also at stake, is your soul, which will be sealed in this card when you lose! Of course, when I lose, my soul will also be sealed! But hey, let's be honest with ourselves! Me, lose? No way! Now then...shall we, little girl?"

Turning her eyes away from Chumley and Syrus, Elize glared at Nightshroud before realizing for the first time just how terrifying he truly was, enough for her to be frozen like ice. The intense fear she was resisting to show failed as her body trembled. She couldn't move or think straight the more she continued staring at Nightshroud and his evil smirk. She even felt he was dangerous and things were only getting worse since her fear was quickly seeping out into the open.

"Just..."

"Hmm?" Taking pleasure in the obviosu fear lying rest in front of the girl, Nightshroud grinned. "What was that? I couldn't hear you!~"

"Please...Just...you can take my Spirit Key! But, in exchange, please let go of Chumley and Syrus! Please, they didn't do anything wrong!" cried out Elize, blurting out what she had to say in fear. She just wanted to get out of here with her friends and forget this all ever happened.

"Awww...Sorry, but it's not that simple. See, I need to win a duel in order to get the Spirit Key, so I can't steal your Spirit Key. But, don't worry, I'll _probably_ release your friends after you lose and your soul is trapped in this very card I hold."

The consequences and risks of such a duel pushed Elize past her limits as she fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Crying out of fear, Elize was shaking like a leaf, unable to control her emotions as Nightshroud simply laughed at her pitiful self.

Gritting his teeth, Jaden yelled, "Enough! Stop laughing at her! What's wrong with her being scared?! I'll be your opponent!"

"J-Jaden..." Sniffling, Elize had enough sense to look up and try stopping him. "I-I'm okay..I just *sob* I just need a second!"

Jaden shook his head, smiling softly. "It's alright. I can do this. I'm not going to let you be forced into a duel when you're all terrified like this. Besides, it's not like this is my first Shadow Game. I'm just hoping it doesn't hurt as bad as the others."

"Jaden..." Both Elize and Jaden had more than one thing in common, but one of the most important things is that both of them experienced Shadow Games before, Jaden had to fight against Jinzo to free three lost souls, and Elize had to participate in a duel against Gravekeeper's Chief to free her friends.

Alexis kneeled down besides Elize and placed her hands on her shoulders, comforting the poor girl before nodding to Jaden, assuring him that she'll take good care of Elize.

"Okay, pal! You wanna duel? You got it!" challenged Jaden, activating his duel disk. "Let's throw down!"

"Fine! Not like it matters who I duel so long as I get a Spirit Key and someone's soul in the end!" said Nightshroud, giving in to his new opponent as he put on his duel disk.

"Get your game on!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Nightshroud - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"You wanna see game?" spoke Nightshroud, taking the first turn. "Here goes! I summon Troop Dragon in Defense Mode and I set a card before ending my turn!"

A green dragon garbed in armor and carrying a sword and shield kneeled down in front of Nightshroud.

Troop Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV2 - (700/800)

"Not bad! Ha!" Now that it was Jaden's turn, he drew his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart in Attack Mode!"

A jungle man wielding a broaded, curved sword while providing no defense for himself appeared.

Elemental Hero Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"I attack Troop Dragon with Wildheart! Go, attack!"

In no time flat, Wildheart rushed up to Troop Dragon and slashed him to pieces, destroying the dragon.

"Ah, you know, there was something I forgot to mention!" said Nightshroud. "Troop Dragon's special ability lets me Special Summon another Troop Dragon from my deck whenever he's sent to the Graveyard! And I'll Special Summon him in Defense Mode!"

Troop Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV2 - (700/800)

"Grr...hench the word 'troop,'" commented Jaden. "I end my turn!"

"That's right! And I'm not done yet!" continued Nightshroud as he drew his card. "Now, I'll play my facedown, Call of the Haunted! This lets me dig from my Graveyard a Monster that was previously destroyed! Such as another Troop Dragon but in Attack Mode!"

Troop Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV2 - (700/800)

"But wait! There's much more where that came from! Now, I sacrifice both of my Troop Dragons to summon the Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Flames in the form of a spiral dragon burst from the lava and circled around the field for a bit before emerging and taking in the form of a powerful, black dragon that stood behind his master.

Red-Eyes Black Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV7 - (2400/2000)

Taking advantage of Jaden's reaction to his powerful, rare dragon, Nightshroud cried out, "Now, Red-Eyes! Attack Wildheart! Inferno Fire Blast!"

The legendary dragon fired a fireball full of his power directly at Wildheart, destroying the Monster with little to no effort. The explosion was so huge that Jaden was caught in it and was thrown back, injured.

 **Nightshroud - 4000 LP**

 **Jaden - 3100 LP**

"Jaden!" Both Elize and Alexis exclaimed. Elize glanced up from staring at the ground, forgetting all about her fears and focusing on Jaden. After all, it was her own fault and weakness that caused Jaden to take her place.

Jaden clutched his chest painfully. "That hurt!"

"That's right!" Said Nightshroud, satisfied in seeing his opponent in pain. "And it's about to hurt a lot more, Key Keeper! Because the true pain is about to begin! I'll end my turn! Come on! Hurry up and make your move! I've got a doomsday to start!"

Jaden grudgingly stood up on his feet, not willing to throw in the towel and give up. "Sorry, Nightshroud! But the only doom coming here is your Monster! My draw! Alright! I play the Spell card, Polymerization! And by fusing both Cayman and Burstinatrix in my hand, I Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster in Defense Mode!"

With both Elemental Heroes combined strength, an armored, tank-like female Elemental Hero kneeled while taking aim from behind her red shield.

Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2000/2500)

"And even in Defense Mode, she can blast you directly using half of her Attack Points!" Shouted Jaden. "That means you lose 1000 Points of Damage! Now go, Blaster! Attack Nightshroud directly!"

Rampart Blaster obeyed and fired two missiles at Nightshroud, inflicting and injuring him with some damage. Still, it wasn't enough to take him down but Rampart Blaster's Defense was an all-powerful shield.

 **Nightshroud - 3000 LP**

 **Jaden - 3100 LP**

"And if you want to get to me, you'll have to go through her!" Shouted Jaden, referring to his Rampart Blaster and her high Defense Points. "I end my turn!"

Nightshroud grunted and wiped any blood from his mouth as his entire body was a bit tattered and injured. Glaring at Jaden, he did not appreciate being inflicted damage like .

"Enough" yelled Nightshhroud, unable to tolerate the situation. He drew his card and smirked."You fool! That blaster doesn't change a thing! But you can bet this next card will! It's going to change your Life Points, Jaden! Oh, and not in a good way! You see, Jaden, your blaster can't protect you against my Red-Eyes' attack!"

Jaden, thought disbelieving him, deciding to entertain him a bit. "Alright, I'll bite. Why not?"

"Because this time, the attack's an actual card! I activate Inferno Fire Blast!"

Without a command from his master, Red-Eyes Black Dragon still unleashed a fiercesome, powerful blast of fire that managed to bypass Rampart Blaster's defenses and directly hit Jaden, causing a massive explosion once more.

"Nice card, huh? It's just as strong as my Red-Eyes' attack!" bragged Nightshroud. "The only difference is that this special card can hit your Life Points directly! But, I can't attack with Red-Eyes this turn."

 **Nightshroud - 3000 LP**

 **Jaden - 700 LP**

"But I'm not through with you yet, Key Keeper! Next, I summon Attachment Dragon in Attack Mode!"

A scale-like turquoise colored dragon that lacked in strength and defense flew up to the skies near his master's side.

Attachment Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV1 - (100/100)

"But, don't worry! He's not the attacking type, see? He's a lot more of the attaching types! Show him, Attachment Dragon!"

Attaching his special ability, Attachment Dragon opened his talons and swoop down towards Rampart Blaster, using all of his strength to lift her midair and keep her there, changing her from Defense Mode to Attack Mode.

"Blaster's made a new friend! A friend that forces her into Attack Mode thanks to his special ability!' said Nightshroud. "And because of that, no more direct attacks!"

Screams reached everyone's ears, causing both Alexis and Elize to see both Chumley and Syrus cuddling close to each other in fear. The orb they were trapped in was beginning to disperse, and if that continued, then that meant they would fall to their doom towards the lava.

"No! Hang on!" cried out Alexis as Elize stared in shock.

"Alright, my turn!" yelled Jaden, swiftly drawing, praying that it would be the one card that would turn the tides around. "I play the Spell card, Pot of Greed! It lets me draw two cards! And if that's not enough for ya, I play De-Fusion, too! Come apart, Rampart Blaster!"

With Rampart Blaster gone, all that was left was her two Fusion materials, Burstinatrix and Clayman.

Burstinatrix - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/800)

Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)

"And since Rampart Blaster is gone, Attachment Dragon is destroyed!"

Like what Jaden said, the moment Rampart Blaster fell apart, so did Attachment Dragon as he was quickly sent to the Graveyard.

"Next, from my hand, I'll activate Fusion Sage! This lets me add a Polymerization from my deck to my hand! That means I activate Polymerization and fuse Clayman on my field with the Sparkman in my hand the Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

The two Elemental Heroes fused together and a brand new Elemental Hero took in both their powers in the form of a huge, armored hero standing guard in front of Jaden.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

 _'It's an even match up,'_ thought Alexis, noticing how Jaden's Thunder Giant and Nightshroud's Red-Eyes have the exact same Attack Points.

'W-what'll happen?" wondered Elize, wishing for Jaden to win and not for his soul to be taken.

"Alright, time to see who blinks first!" said Jaden, commencing his attack. "Elemental Hero Thunder Giant, attack Red-Eyes Black Dragon with Voltic Thunder!"

"Go, Inferno Fire Blast!" countered Nightshroud, not wanting his precious dragon to go down without a fight.

Thunder Giant charged up as fast as he could to unleash a devastating voltage strike from his palms while Red-Eyes Black Dragon releashed a raging fire breath from his jaws; the two attacks colliding with one another until both Monsters exploded from too much strain on their powers.

"Both are destroyed...?" gasped Elize.

"But what was the point, Jaden?" wondered Alexis.

"The point is, now that that Red-Eyes is gone, Nightshroud is directly into Burstinatrix's line of fire!" replied Jaden, riled up for more offense. "And I do mean FIRE! Attack! Flare Storm!"

Seeing her chance to deal heavy damage, Burstinatrix conjured up enough firepower to blast her power right onto Nightshroud, who was completely helpless against her.

 **Nightshroud - 1800 LP**

 **Jaden - 700 LP**

Disappointed that he never got a reaction from Nightshroud, Jaden complained, "Aw, come on! Aren't you gonna flinch or anything? How about a winch? Can I get a grimace?"

Nightshroud smirked. "Sorry, but I leave all that to my opponents!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, let's just see what we can do about that, Nightshroud! I play Mirage of Nightmare! During your Standby Phase, this Spell card can let me draw cards until I have four in my hand! But during my Standby Phase, I have to randomly discard the same number of cards I drew to the Graveyard!"

"Hmph. Do whatever makes you happy!"

"In that case, I'll throw down a facedown, too! And that's it!"

"Good! My draw!" said Nightshroud, pleased as he drew his card.

"Yeah, mine too thanks to my Mirage of Nightmare!" interrupted Jaden, drawing four cards. "Here I go!"

Nightshroud shrugged. "Whatever! Just don't forget to discard the same amount of cards you draw next turn, okay?"

"Actually, Nightshroud, I was kinda thinking that I wouldn't!" Jaden said, confusing Nightshroud. "I play my Quick-Play Spell card, Emergency Provisions! Now, by destroying one Spell card on my field, I gain 1000 Life Points! And the card that I think I'll destroy is Mirage of Nightmare!"

 **Nightshroud - 1800 LP**

 **Jaden - 1700 LP**

 _'Now Mirage of Nightmare's discard rule is no longer in effect!'_ thought Alexis as Elize examined the duel more closely in order to strategize.

Nightshroud was somewhat impressed. 'So you were able to avoid Mirage of Nightmare's unpleasantness...But you don't be avoiding this one! I summon Mirage Dragon!"

A yellow, skull-like dragon roared as he snaked around Nightshroud.

Mirage Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV4 - (1600/600)

"And despite his name, his attack's no illusion! Go, Spectrum Blast!"

A colorful aurora-like beam shot out from the dragon's mouth and blasted through Burstinatrix, hitting even Jaden and causing him to collapse on one knee from the damage he received.

 **Nightshroud - 1800 LP**

 **Jaden - 1300 LP**

"No...I can't let it end here!" groaned Jaden, getting back up.

"You don't have to!" taunted Nightshroud. "Mirage Dragon will end it for you! I end my turn!"

The more the duel was taking longer to finish, the more the orb's protection around Syrus and Chumley was weakening, bringing them closer and closer towards the lava. "Chumley, if we don't make it, I just want you to know that you're a great friend! I love you!" declared Syrus, wiping sweat off his forehead."

"Jaden, hurry up! Sy's getting all mushy!" pleaded Chumley, somewhat disgusted by Syrus' words.

"Jaden, that orb's disappearing, fast!" reminded Alexis, urging him to hurry and finish the duel.

"Yeah, well not as fast as that Mirage Dragon's about to!" said Jaden, hastily drawing his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman!"

A new Elemental Hero whose element consists of water arrived to quench out evil and protect his master from harm.

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"And I activate his ability! You see, when he's summoned out all by himself, I can draw two more cards!" Jaden explained quickly. "One of which I'm gonna use right now! I activate my Silent Doom card! It lets me Special Summon Sparkman from the Graveyard to the field in Defense Mode!"

Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)

"And now, I'll play the Field Spell card, Fusion Gate! Oh, yeah! A storm's coming, and it's coming for you, Nightshroud! Now that Fusion Gate is out, I fuse Bubbleman and Sparkman, who are on my field, with Avian, who's in my hand, to create the mighty Elemental Hero Tempest!"

With the three male fighters merged together, their combined strengths recreate Tempest; a hero donning Sparkman's mask, Avian's steel-like wings, and an upgraded version of Bubbleman's blaster.

Elemental Hero Tempest - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2800)

"Alright, way to play, Jay!" cheered Syrus.

Chumley nodded. "Yeah, 2800 Attack Points! That's more than Mirage Dragon's!"

"Now, go Tempest! Attack Mirage Dragon with Gliding Strike!" commanded Jaden.

Spinning around, Tempest blasted a blue thunder-like blast from his blaster gauntlet, electrifying Mirage Dragon and damaging Nightshroud so badly, he groaned in pain and stumbled back due to his injuries.

 **Nightshroud - 600 LP**

 **Jaden - 1300 LP**

Jaden grinned. "There's that flinch I was looking for!"

Gritting his teeth, Nightshroud tried to deny that he would ever cry out in pain in front of his enemy. "No, it wasn't! That was a twitch! It's not the same! I had something in my eye, that's all! You got that? It was a _twitch!"_

"Hey, call it what you want," said Jaden. "But there's one thing you can't argue! I'm winning this Shadow Duel now, Nightshroud! And I think I'll end my turn leaving you with that thought, plus a facedown!"

"Hmph! You chump!" insulted Nightshroud, drawing his card. "Life Points don't decide who's winning the duel! It's the cards you hold! And, if you don't believe me, I'm quite certain that this one here will prove it to you!"

"Yeah, right! I bet that you're just bluffing!" scoffed Jaden, finding no possible way for Nightshroud to come back up after his last defense was gone.

In response to Jaden's reply, as if they were being insulted themselves, several dragons of lava sprouted up from the sea of lava and appeared by Nightshroud's side, glaring down at the one who dared to challenge their wrath.

"...Or not."

"Did you honestly think, Key Keeper..." started Nightshroud. "That you could get rid of all my dragons so easily? That you could simply banish them all to the Graveyard? And then be done with them?"

"...That's kinda what I was hoping for," admitted Jaden honestly.

"Well, you can just keep on hoping, because I summon the Red-Eyes Black Chick!"

Sprouting from a bubble of lava, a red, oval-shaped egg appeared on the field before cracks caused some parts of the egg to break, revealing red eyes.

"So...that's your big card?" questioned Jaden, unable to believe such a small thing could defeat a powerful Elemental Hero like Tempest.

"That's right!" said Nightshroud. "Until I use Chick's special ability, that is! You see, by sending Chick to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to Special Summon from my hand...his Daddy! The full-grown Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Red-Eyes Black Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV7 - (2400/2000)

"Actually, that's not quite true! Because Red-Eyes can still get bigger! Red-Eyes! I now sacrifice you to Special Summon Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Even the sudden appearance of the dragon that rose up from the hottest flames and lava of the volcano caused the volcano to rumble and cause fear in everyone else's hearts. The new, armored black scales and gleaming red eyes along with the steel-like wings and the darkness seeping within the dragon would prove to anyone how powerful he truly was.

Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV9 - (2400/2000)

"Now, the molten ashes of my fallen dragon boil up to their fiery graves! A blaze with new life! Each granting my Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon 300 additional Attack Points! In other words, for every Dragon-Type in my Graveyard, he gains 300 Attack Points for each one!"

Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV9 - (4500/2000)

"4500?! He can't withstand that!" cried out Alexis.

Elize fell to her knees, unable to bear watching the duel anymore as her body shook with fear. "It's hopeless...there's no way Jaden can...and it's all my fault..."

"It's over! The Spirit Key, your friends, your soul!" spoke Nightshroud. "With Darkness Dragon's attack, they're all mine! So, go! Inferno Dark Fire! END THIS!"

Merged with an aura of darkness Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon opened fire with his newfound comet-like firepower towards Tempest. Jaden's friends couldn't bear to watch anymore as well, shielding their eyes from the wrathful attack.

"Don't think so! I've got a Trap! Go, Negate Attack!" shouted Jaden as a barrier shielded Tempest from the mighty dragon's assault.

"What the?!"

"That's right! Your attack's been cancelled and the Battle Phase is forced to a close, so you can't attack me anymore this turn!"

"Hmph. Oh, well. Till next time," promised Nightshroud, making sure to prepare himself for next turn. "I end my turn!"

"Alright, my draw!" said Jaden, drawing his card. "First off, I summon Wroughtweiler in Defense Mode!"

Wroughtweiler - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (800/1200)

"And, I'll switch Elemental Hero Tempest to Defense as well! I'll end my turn from there!"

"That's funny! You know what I call it? A waste of time!" insulted Nightshroud, finding Jaden's resistance to be amusing for him. "And time, in case you've forgotten, is at the very essence by now! At least for your friends who are about to be deep fried, that is!"

Though trembling and hugging Chumley close for comfort, Syrus called, "Don't you listen to him, Jaden! Just concentrate on winning the duel!"

"Deep fried? I'll never be able to look at a French Fry again! Though, I'll probably still be able to eat," mumbled Chumley.

"Jaden! Hurry up!" urged Alexis.

Jaden, panting heavily due to his exhaustion and stress, nodded. "Yeah...I know! That lava is beginning to look really restless!"

"It's hotter than my Dad's hot sauce in here!" cried out Chumley, hugging Syrus even more tightly.

"What to do? What to do?" Nightshroud jokingly sang.

"How about you make your move?" spoke Jaden rudely.

Nightshroud smirked. "Oh, right. It's my turn. Sorry. I draw! I summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!"

A flying dinosaur-like dragon flew besides Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, ready for combat.

Spear Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV4 - (1900/0)

"Now, Spear Dragon! Give that Wroughtweiler something to chew on! Attack! Cyclone Blast!"

After charging, Spear Dragon lifted his jaws and fired a green twister-like laser which pierced through Wroughtweiler's armor.

"Wroughtweiler doesn't roll over that easily!" shouted Jaden. "See, when you send him to the Graveyard, I get to bring back a Polymerization and an Elemental Hero to my hand thanks to his spec-URK!"

An arrow-like laser shot through Jaden's chest, causing him to drop to one knee as his Life Points depleted.

 **Nightshroud - 600 LP**

 **Jaden - 600 LP**

"Ahaha! Don't get ahead of yourself!" laughed Nightshroud. "When Spear Dragon attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, if his Attack Points are greater than the defending Monster's Defense Points, the difference is dealt to you as damage! However, as you can see, Spear Dragon must then switch to Defense Mode!"

"Grr...!"

"And now for the matter of your Tempest and his special ability? Since you can save him from being destroyed in battle by sending one card from your field to the Graveyard, I'll get rid of Fusion Gate by playing the Quick-Play Spell, Mystical Space Typhoon, which allows me to destroy a Spell or Trap on the field!"

Hot winds swirled around the battlefield and flared up the entire volcano even more since more winds can power up a burning fire, making the situation worse for Jaden.

"Now, Key Keeper! Just try saving your Tempest!" dared Nightshroud. "Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon! Attack! Inferno Dark Fire!"

This time, Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's incinerating fire blast burned through Tempest's defenses, destroying him and leaving not even one speck of ash from him. The blast threw Jaden back a little, damaging his body and exhausting him even further.

"I end my turn! It's your move! If you have any strength left to make it!"

The Shadow Duel was placing too much strain on Jaden and causing so much damage that Jaden collapsed and fell facedown to the ground, making him groan in pain.

"Jaden!" gasped Alexis, rushing towards his fallen body and trying to wake him up. "Get up! Please! Tell me you're okay!"

Unable to take it anymore, Elize leapt to her feet and cried out, "Stop! Stop it! That's enough! You don't have to continue this duel anymore, Mr. Nightshroud!"

"Says who? Who are you to tell me what to do?" questioned Nightshroud.

Revealing her Spirit Key, Elize pleaded, "Just let everyone else go! In exchange, I'll duel you and lose my soul to you, whether I win or lose! Please, anything to let my friends go! I should have taken the opportunity to duel you when you gave me the chance! Not Jaden! Please!"

"Elize, no! You can't!" shouted Alexis, standing up. "If that's the case, then I'll duel him!"

"No! This way, you can get everyone else back safely to the infirmary!" said Elize, shaking her head sadly. "Besides, let's face it. I'm the weakest one here. I was bound to be the first to lose my Spirit Key, either way. So, why not early?"

"N-no...!" groaned Jaden, struggling to get back up after hearing Elize speak such words. "I won't let you take the burden, Elize...!"

"But-!"

"No, but thanks for trying to cover me. And besides, I'm about to win this! I'm about to get my game on!" yelled Jaden, drawing his card.

"Well, you better hurry!" cried Syrus as the tidal waves of lava began to overflow and splash towards their defensive orb.

"I don't wanna be a French Fry!" shouted Chumley, hanging onto Syrus even more.

Rushing to end the duel, Jaden quickly said, "I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart in Attack Mode!"

Elemental Hero Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"Next, I'll activate the Spell, Wild Half, from my hand! And now Wild Half's gonna cut your Monster in half! See, what it does is take the original Attack Points of your Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon and split it by Special Summoning another Monster Token with the same Attack Points to the field!"

Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon - (DARK/Dragon) - LV9 - (3300/1000)

Half Token - (DARK/Dragon) - LV9 - (3300/1000)

"But because of all the dragons in Nightshroud's Graveyard, they still have 3300 Attack Points each!" exclaimed Alexis.

"I'm getting to that!" said Jaden. "Next up is Polymerization! Which I'll use to fuse Bladedge and Wildheart! Now merge to create the Elemental Hero Wildedge!"

Wildheart, combined with parts of Bladedge's armor, grew even more stronger as he let out a ficious roar.

Elemental Hero Wildedge - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2600/2300)

"And one of the things that put him in the edge of being wild is that he can attack all Monsters on your side of the field!"

"You just go ahead and do that, then!" challenged Nightshroud. "He still has less Attack Points than my dragon's!"

"Again with the Attack Points!" whined Jaden, tired of hearing the same thing over and over from his previous duels. Seriously, it was like a record that went rewind every time! "Alright, I guess it's about time I address that little issue with you guys! Or better yet, let Skyscraper do it for me!"

"What?!"

"That's right, I activate the Field Spell card, Skyscraper!"

Even though the sea of lava haven't changed, most of their surroundings were covered with tall buildings that even Nightshroud was unaware of until just now; a surprised look of his face as he discovered they were surrounded by the buildings that reached the skies.

"And once Wildedge's done with your dragons, you're gonna be scrubbing them off the pavement!" Said Jaden. "'Cause here, whenever an Elemental Hero attacks a Monster whose Attack POINTS are higher than them, they gain 1000 extra Attack Points!"

"No way!" Gasped Nightshroud.

Elemental Hero Wildedge - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (3600/2300)

"Inpossible!"

"Now, Wildedge! Attack the Red-Eyes Dragons and Spear Dragon!" Ordered Jaden.

Blades activated from his gauntlet, Wildedge twisted around and slashed at the dragons one by one as if he was a knight slaying the evil dragons.

 **Nightshroud - 0 LP**

 **Jaden - 600 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden**

"That's...game..." panted Jaden before falling down out of exhaustion as pillars of lava burst from the lava field and rose up to the air. Nightshroud screamed as he burst into flames, having lost the duel.

"Jaden!" both Alexis and Elize cried out, rushing towards his aid before finding themselves caught up by a circle of flames; both hugging each other to protect one another as they braced for any incoming pain.

Once the chaos calmed down, Syrus and Chumley were instantly teleported towards the outside of the volcano where they regained consciousness.

"We're alive...we're alive...!" gasped Syrus before he and Chumley spotted Elize and Alexis, who were starting to wake up themselves.

"Are we...outside of the volcano?" wondered Elize, helping Alexis sit up as the older girl clutched her forehead in pain.

"He did it...Jaden actually did it," spoke Alexis, astonished over the results of the life-threatening duel. "But...where is Jaden?"

"Ah! Look there!" cried out Chumley, pointing to his unconscious and battered body not too far ahead. The four of them ran up to him, attempting to resuscitate him since he wasn't moving.

"Jaden! Jaden! Wake up, please!"

"Jaden, are you okay? Say something!"

"Please, wake up! Wake up!"

"Guys! Guys! He's fine!" assured Alexis, checking his pulse. "Tired, maybe, but he's fine. Which is more than I can say for Nightshroud."

Noticing a card besides Jaden, Elize picked it up and noticed it was the blank card Nightshroud had, only it contained a picture of Nightshroud's mask this time. She could sense a dangerous presence of darkness inside, so she dropped it.

Looking around, Alexis spotted another battered body and, assuming from the body size and dark clothes, she concluded it was Nightshroud. She turned him around and gasped; tears threatening to escape her eyes.

"A-Alexis..." the man known as Nightshroud muttered before fainting.

"I-It can't be...!"

"Jaden! Hold on! We're coming!" called Bastion as he, Chazz, and Zane rushed towards the base of the volcano.

"What happened?!" exclaimed Chazz.

"O-One of the Shadow Riders came...and wanted me to duel him. But...Jaden took my place instead...and it's because of me that he's like this!" cried out Elize, tears dropping down her cheeks.

"And? What happened? Did he win?" Chazz questioned, anxious to know.

"Sure was, Chazz!" said Chumley.

"So, is that him?" Zane wondered, turning towards the body that Alexis was holding onto, wondering if it was the Shadow Rider Jaden faced. Hearing soft sobs from Alexis, Zane's expression softened. "Alexis...?"

"It's him, Zane! It's him!" sobbed Alexis to Zane, who was shocked to see the true face of Nightshroud. "I don't know how, but it's him! I thought I lost him, but he's back! He's finally back!"

"...Atticus...?!"

With the entire group gathered and rushing towards Alexis and Zane, with Chumley carrying Jaden, Alexis began explaining, "It wasn't him before...but that card took away whatever darkness was holding him! He's back now!"

"...And if this is how it is whenever you win a duel, just think what it is when you lose," muttered Zane ominously. "It might not be coming up now, but night will fall again soon, and when it does, we must be ready..."

* * *

 **Finished just in time before school starts! Read and review!**


	15. Field of Screams Parts 1 &2

**I'm back, folks! And it took a while for this to happen because I had to think up Camula's third duel! That said, let's get started!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"A-Alexis...?" spoke up Elize, approaching her with a hot, steamy boxed lunch in her hands.

"..." Alexis remained silent, barely hearing her as she was more concerned about her unconscious brother lying on the infirmary bed.

It's been 3 days ever since the Shadow Game between Jaden and Nightshroud, and due to their heavy wounds, both of them haven't woke up. Fonda's been treating them with all of her care and some of their physical wounds were healed, but they still remained unconscious. Sheppard was kinda enough to allow Alexis a week off of classes to reunite with her big brother after so long, so now she's been spending most of her time in the infirmary at Atticus' side, unable to leave except to go to the bathroom.

"Alexis," spoke Fonda softly, assisting Elize as she shook Alexis' shoulder. "Elize wants to talk to you."

"Hmm?" Turning around, Alexis finally noticed Elize. "Oh...sorry, what did you say?"

"I-I didn't say anything yet," said Elize before handing Alexis the boxed lunch. "H-here you go! It's a boxed lunch made by Miss Dorothy! She was so worried that you might not have eaten properly, so she wanted me to deliver some food to you."

"I see...Okay, I'll eat it in a little bit, alright?" said Alexis, putting the boxed lunch on the desk next to Atticus' bed.

"O-Okay..Um...Please eat it before it gets cold, okay?" advised Elize.

Alexis nodded. "I will. Thanks."

Walking away, Elize went to check up on Jaden, who was being watched over by Syrus. From her bag, she took out a bundle of flowers and clasped them tightly; her hands shaking as she approached Jaden.

Syrus heard her footsteps as he glanced behind his shoulder. "Oh, Elize! Are you here to visit Jaden?"

"Y-yes..."

Ever since Atticus and Jaden were left in recovery, Elize started blaming herself for Jaden's condition. If she hadn't been a scaredy cat and just agreed to duel Atticus, who was Nightshroud at the time, then Jaden wouldn't be in this mess! Sure, she'd probably be the one lying on the hospital bed right now, or she'd probably lose in that duel, but it was far better than Jaden taking the hit for her! She was truly happy when Jaden offered to take her place, but now she felt all sorts of regret.

"Aah!" screamed Jaden, suddenly getting up after having awaken from whatever dream he had.

"Aaaah!" both Syrus and Elize screamed back, startled by his sudden awakening. Upon gaining consciousness and sitting up immediantly, Jaden winched in pain, having forgotten about his injuries until now.

"Jaden, are you okay?" asked Syrus.

"Oh man...weird dream!" muttered Jaden. "I saw a girl!"

"A girl?"

"You must be feeling better if you're dreaming about girls!" teased Fonda, walking towards Jaden to check on his condition.

"How is Nightshr-I mean, Alexis' brother?" asked Jaden, remembering every detail of his last duel with the previous Shadow Rider.

"I'm afraid he hasn't woken up yet. But still, he's in stable condition."

"Oh, that's a relief." Sighing, Jaden looked back at his friends, also glad that they were unharmed when he noticed Elize shaking and on the verge of tears as she was clinging onto some flowers rather tightly. "Elize? Are you oka-"

"WAAAAAHHH!" sobbed Elize, unable to hold it in anymore. "Jaden, I'm sorry! I'm so, so, sorry! B-because of me...Because of me, you got hurt and I should have been the-Waaahhh!"

It took about a few minutes for Jaden, Fonda, and Syrus to calm down Elize, but they succeeded and managed to stop Elize from crying any further. Wiping away the last of her tears, Elize walked forward and presented the bundle of flowers to Jaden.

"H-here. These are for you, Jaden."

"Aww, thanks!" Taking the flowers, Jaden had some sort of idea why Elize started crying like that. "Oh, and Elize? Don't sweat it! I don't blame you for anything. I was the one who chose to fight Nightshroud, so none of this mess was your fault."

"But..." Feeling down, Elize mumbled, "You got hurt...Like, real badly."

"Yeah, but hey! I'm feeling better!" said Jaden, stretching his arms before he felt his bones crack a bit. "...Ow." He then fell back down on his comfty bed, frozen in position.

"Aaaaah! Jaden! We need a doctor! A doctor!"

"Elize, calm down! Ms. Fontaine is the school nurse, remember?"

"Please hurry, Ms. Fontaine!"

"A-Alright! Don't worry! Jaden just needs lots of rest, that's all!"

* * *

 _The next day, in the Chancellor's Office..._

"Huh? A vampire?" questioned Chazz.

Him, Elize, Zane, Crowler, and Bastion were called upon by Chancellor Sheppard himself for an important meeting regarding about the Shadow Riders and the mysterious rumor spreading across campus about a mysterious female vampire.

"I'm afraid the rumors may not be rumors after all," spoke Sheppard gravely.

"Please! It's a practical joke!" Crowler said, unable to believe such ludicrous rumors coming truthfully.

"A joke? It wasn't a joke that put Jaden in the hospital," Bastion said seriously, causing Elize to look away shamefully, as if his statement reminded her that it was all her fault that Jaden was badly injured.

"Do you think she's a Shadow Rider?" questioned Zane to Sheppard.

"Perhaps," admitted Sheppard, though he sounded unsure. "So listen, be on the lookout for anything strange. With that said, you're all dismissed."

Everyone but Elize nodded, agreeing to stay cautious in case the vampire shows up. However, Elize was unsure of herself and a little scared of another potential Shadow Rider arriving so soon after Nightshroud's defeat. She didn't know what to do should we encounter the Shadow Rider alone.

After everyone left for their own dorm rooms, Elize laid on her own bed, looking up at the ceiling with a worried look on her face. She rolled to the side, curling up as she imagined potential encounters between her and a Shadow Rider. Just the thought frightens her the more she focused on the topic.

Doriado emerged and floated near Elize's side. _**"Elize? I can sense that you're scared. What is troubling you, child?"**_

"...I...I'm just worried about the Shadow Riders, that's all," admitted Elize, sitting up."I may have to face one of them alone, and I don't know what I'll do if I do that. I mean, I might have to duel, but what if I lose? I...I'm scared."

Some of her Duel Spirits showed up upon listening to her explanation. _**"Elize, there's nothing to fear,"**_ assured Wynn, kneeling down and placing her hands on top of Elize's. _**"It's only natural for you to be afraid. Even I'm scared and I'm a Duel Spirit!"**_

 _ **"Eh, no need to worry!"**_ assured Hiita, twirling her staff around before getting into a fighting stance. _**"Any enemy that gets in your way, I'll scrotch them alive!"**_

 _ **"And if they have WATER-Attribute Monsters?"**_ questioned Aussa.

 _ **"Man, do you always have to ruin my fun? You should know that my fire-based attack can easily wipe out your earth attacks!"**_

 _ **"Oh, is that a challenge I'm suspecting?"**_

 _ **"Silence, both of you,"**_ scolded Maha Vailo, getting in between them.

Elize smiled a little, entertained by their usual interactions with each other. "Thanks...I think I'll be alright, though. I mean, as long as I have you all with me, I'll be fine...It just depends on my own decisions, right?"

Her Duel Spirits nodded. Ever since Elize entered Duel Academy and made new friends, she's been getting more and more confident in her dueling process. Just recently, she's slowly starting to accept sacrificing others to gain more stronger Monsters; something that's making her win duels even more. It all started with her beginning Fusion Summoning thanks to Blair and Kaibaman, and now her dueling skills are improving immensely.

Unknown to any of them, a bat was in hiding outside of Elize's dorm window, spying on everything she was doing and recording it for its own mistress.

* * *

 _With everyone else..._

Making preparations for the next arrival of the Shadow Rider, Chazz sat on his bed with loads of his cards scattered around as he tried to build a new, powerful deck with them.

"Let's see this vampire girl get the drop on the Chazz," muttered Chazz, examining the cards in his hands and trying to come up with some wicked combos that not even the female vampire could predict.

Hidden within his room, a bat eyed every single card at Chazz's disposal as its eyes glowed red, recording everything it saw.

Chazz and Elize weren't the only ones being spied; Zane and Bastion were also thinking of rearranging their decks, thus unintentionally revealing every single card they had. While they worked on their decks and brand new strategies, bats were hiding around, trying to spy on them.

"Hmph! A vampire? What next, the boogeyman?" questioned Crowler, still scoffing about the existence of mythical creatures. Sitting back down in his office chair, Crowler laughed to himself while writing down some papers. "Hahaha! Who would believe something so ridiculous?"

"Stay away! I know you're out there! I have a huge horror movie collection! I know all your weak spots! I'm ready for you!" exclaimed Banner, garbed in ancient spiritual robes with scrolls hanging up on the ceiling along with onions. While waving a small staff around, Banner believed that through his personal divination, he could ward away the vampire and save everyone at Duel Academy ever since he heard the potential of a vampire appearing from the others.

The bat watching over Banner sweatdropped before flying away, believing Banner wasn't worth its time.

Back at the infirmary, both Alexis and Elize arrived to visit Jaden as Syrus still kept an eye out for him. "How's Jaden?" asked Alexis.

"He hasn't said anything since last night," sighed Syrus.

"Oh."

"Well, at least he managed to wake up last night," said Elize, trying to keep the mood positive.

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Say, how's your brother, Alexis?"

Alexis shook her head. "Pretty much the same. But he'll get better. I know it. He's a fighter, you know?"

"I know."

"I just hope the rest are as well. After all, it sounds like the next Shadow Rider is here."

At the mention of the word, 'Shadow Rider,' Elize couldn't help but feel fear coursing inside of her as she hugged herself in an attempt to comfort herself. She may have talked this through with her Duel Spirits, but that didn't mean the fear was completely gone; only temporarily sustained. Just what sort of person was the next Shadow Rider anyways?

* * *

 _Later that night..._

"Syrus!" cried out Chumley, bursting inside the infirmary. "Dr. Crowler's dueling against the vampire lady!"

"The vampire lady? Do you mean...the Shadow Rider?" asked Elize; her hands trembling at the sudden news.

Syrus stood up from his stool. "Great! He'll beat her easy, right?"

"Wrong, Sy!" disagreed Alexis. "Crowler may talk a big game, but he plays a terrible one!"

Having eavesdropped on the others, Jaden couldn't help but let out a light gasp. Crowler was dueling another Shadow Rider? That vampire might be stronger than Nightshroud, and he was tough to break down!

"W-what should we do?" wondered Elize, turning to look at her friends for any solutions. "Should we go there or no?"

"Chazz, Bastion, Banner, and Zane are all with Crowler," said Chumley. "I mean, they should since they were all in Chancellor Sheppard's Office when I got there to announce that the vampire lady was at the lake!"

"If they're there, then I'm sure Crowler will be alright," said Alexis. "After all, those four are very strong!"

"Yeah, but this is a 1-1 duel, we're talking about!" Chumley reminded. "And knowing Dr. Crowler's big ego...well, let's say he prefers to do things alone."

Elize opened her mouth, wanting to speak up and urge the others to hurry to where Crowler and the others were when she froze. She closed her mouth, unable to form the words that she wished to say. What's wrong with her? Why was she suddenly filled with terror once again? Did...did she not want to meet the vampire lady after all?

"At any rate, let's leave up to the guys at the lake," said Alexis. "Chumley, is there any way for us to see the duel through the PDA?"

Chumley nodded and started dialing Bastion's number before holding the PDA close to his ear. "Yeah, Bastion? The duel's already started? Well, could you at least let us see, too? I'm in the infirmary with the others!"

Within a few seconds, Chumley held up his PDA; the screen showing the entire duel between Crowler and the Shadow Rider, Camula. Currently, Crowler seemed to have the field advantage now, as he seemed rather confident in himself, yet his opponent was keeping her cool.

 _'She's really pretty,'_ thought Elize, examining Camula and her magnificent beauty. She shook her head to snap herself out of it. No, what was she thinking? She's the enemy, therefore, appearances aren't everything!

Elize's hunch was correct as the duel suddenly taken a turn for the worse for Crowler. Now he was on his knees, being attacked by Camula's Vampire Bat, who was biting away at his skin and attacking him from any direction.

"Crowler's taking a beating!" gasped Syrus, worried.

"No! He can't!" said Alexis. "If Crowler doesn't win, he'll lose his key and soul! What'll we do?"

"I...I..." Trembling, Elize bit her lip before blurting out, "We-we should go help him! We should be there, supporting him instead of just waiting here and doing nothing! Come on! Let's go!"

"You're right," agreed Chumley. "I can't bear to watch Crowler suffer like this anymore!"

"Count me in!" said Alexis before Syrus nodded.

"And me...three...!" grunted Jaden, attempting to get up while placing a hand on his injured ribs.

"Jaden! You can't! You're hurt!" reminded Alexis. "Just lay back in bed and leave this to us!"

Shaking his head, Jaden remained persistent. "No...I have to see...see Crowler...! He needs us! I'm sure...the more support he has...the more chance he has of winning!"

"Aaaah! I don't care anymore! If Jaden wants to come, okay!" shouted Elize, not thinking straight.

Syrus and Chumley didn't appear to be thinking clearly as well, for they were panicking as well. "Fine, fine! Whatever! Jaden, just get on my back!" shouted Chumley, kneeling down besides Jaden's bed and turning around so that his back was facing him while Syrus ran out of the infirmary.

"Ugh! Fine, I'll stay here and watch over Atticus," said Alexis right as Elize helped Jaden settle onto Chumley's back. Once they finished, they rushed towards the lake, following after Syrus who already had a head start of them.

By the time they got there, things have already worsen as the trio witnessed Crowler collapsing to the ground with a pack of bats swarming over his head.

On Camula's field, a large castle was behind the female duelist which spelled out trouble for Crowler. Also, Vampire Bat seemed to be the only Monster on her side of the field, and due to its effect, every Zombie-Type gains 200 extra Attack Points including Vampire Bat.

Vampire Bat - (DARK/Zombie) - LV3 - (1000/1200)

However, on Crowler's side of the field, there was...absolutely nothing. Not a single card, not even a set card except for Ancient Gear Castle. Since Crowler was defenceless, Camula had already launched her Vampire Bats onto the field to attack him directly, as evident of him lying on the ground.

"Crowler! We can't just stand here and do nothing!" cried out Zane, unable to take anymore of witnessing his teacher suffering.

Camula smirked and turned to Zane. "Yes, I completely agree with you, darling. Please step in. Save your teacher, because obviously, he can't save himself!"

"Wrong!" yelled Jaden, catching everyone's attention as they never expected him to be at the lake.

With the help of Syrus and Chumley, Jaden leaned against them, wrapping his arms around their shoulders for support as he endured the pain he was feeling. "D-Dr. Crowler can win this duel!"

Regaining a bit of his consciousness, Crowler heard Jaden's loud voice, feeling a bit of hope inside. "I know that voice...it's Slacker..."

"I know because I've dueled him!" Jaden continued, defending Crowler further more. "Believe me, he can throw down! And he'll find a way to beat you! So get up, Dr. Crowler! And get your game on!"

As if a surge of energy entered his veins, Crowler used that newfound strength to stand up to continue fighting. "I am not giving up!"

"Oh? Are you still here?" taunted Camula.

"You had better believe it! I'm here to stay too, Missy! You see, although it makes me slightly ill to admit it...JADEN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! I CAN BEAT YOU! I CAN THROW DOWN AND I CAN GET MY GAME ON! Bleh! I suddenly feel the need to rinse my mouth after that!"

"Dr. Crowler..." muttered Elize, somewhat inspired by his words of self-encouragement. Just what was it that made Crowler all determined once more? His desire to beat Camula, and then Jaden? Whatever it was, Elize wished she has this sort of courage herself.

"Aw, come on! It's not that bad, teach!" said Jaden, smirking in amusement.

"Yes, perhaps. But you know what is," said Bastion, getting back to the situation at hand. "His Life Points."

Zane nodded. "It's true. To win, Crowler will need to mount quite a comeback."

"Now! Let's duel!" growled Crowler, drawing his card. "I summon Ancient Gear Golem in Attack Mode!"

Emerging from beneath, the gigantic gear soldier rose up, appearing as tough and tall as ever.

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - LV8 - (3000/3000)

"Check it! Crowler's best Monster!" said Chazz, amazed.

"But where's the sacrifice?" wondered Syrus.

"It's on the field! The Ancient Gear Castle!" answered Zane as Ancient Gear Castle began vanishing. "A very skillful move! See, when summoning a Monster with Ancient in its name, you can sacrifice Ancient Gear Castle, and it counts as the same number of sacrifices as however many Monsters you summoned so far."

"Now, Ancient Gear Golem! Attack Vampire Bat with Mechanized Meele!" commanded Crowler, ready to thrash out some revenge against the vampire.

All it took was from a single punch from Ancient Gear Golem to wipe out Vampire Bat completely, taking away a large chunk of Camula's Life Points.

 **Camula - 1200 LP**

 **Crowler - 1700 LP**

Camula winched in pain for only a few moments. "Did you forget that Vampire Bat can't be destroyed as long as I discard another Vampire Bat from my deck? As long as I have Infernalvania on my field, I will crush you on my next turn!"

"I'm afraid you're mistaken!" said Crowler, now his turn to shine.

"What's he going to do?" wondered Chazz, who was just as curious as everyone else on how he planned to counterattack Camula's combo.

"Oh, just destroy every Trap and Spell card on the entire field! Suffer the wrath of Heavy Storm!"

Like the name suggests, a strong storm blew across the entire dueling fields, causing Camula's facedown card to be destroyed with ease and for her Infernalvania castle to crumble until it was nothing more than rubble.

"You must be quite a bore for your students," said Camula, amused. "So predictable!"

"Please! You don't know what you're talking about!"

Snarling at the flamoyant teacher, Camula's beautiful face twisted to that of her monstrous, inhuman look; a glimpse of her true ugly nature. _**"**_ **Ha! Oh, don't I?! I activate the Trap card, Zombie Bed!"**

Taken aback, Crowler retaliated by shouting, "You can't! I just destroyed all the Spell and Trap cards!"

 **"That's exactly what I wanted you to do!"**

"But why?!"

Now realizing her true strategy, Zane gritted his teeth. "Of course! It's obvious! In order to activate it, Zombie Bed has to...be destroyed...!"

 **"Very good, my darling! And now that it has been, its effect lets me Special Summon Zombie Werwolf in Attack Mode! And due to Vampire Bats' effect, he gains 200 more Attack Points!"**

Zombie Werwolf - (DARK/Zombie) - LV4 - (1400/1200)

 **"Thanks to your card, you're completely defenceless!"**

Stunned, the audience couldn't help but worry about the sudden turn of events for Crowler. "She knows Crowler's every move even before he does!" pointed out Chazz.

"Hmph! It's easy when you have a hundred flying bats spying on everyone!" spoke Camula calmly, having reverted back to her original state after seeing the tables turn to her favor.

"Huh? A hundred flying bats?" wondered Elize, confused as to what the female vampire was referring to. Noticing one of the bats flying to Camula's shoulder, she gasped lightly when the bats' eyes glowed red. She didn't know why, but her instincts told her to take note of that bat.

"Ahahaha! It's over!" shouted Camula, drawing her card. "Book of Life! It resurrects my Vampire Lord! However, it cannot give life without giving it away! So, because of Vampire Bats' effect, he gains 200 extra Attack Points!"

Vampire Lord - (DARK/Zombie) - LV5 - (2200/1500)

"Also, another effect of Book of Life activates! I can remove one Monster in your Graveyard from play! So, I'll be taking your Ancient Gear Beast so you can't use him again! And now I remove my Vampire Lord from play to Special Summon Vampire Genesis! And since Vampire Bat is still ont he field, his Attack Points increase by 200!"

Vampire Genesis - (Vampire/Zombie) - LV8 - (3200/2100)

Nobody uttered a word as there was no need to since the outcome was predictable. Crowler had no more cards other than the ones he currently has on the field to protect him, yet his only defense will be gone soon with just a command from Camula. No escape route for Crowler; it was almost as if he was playing right into Camula's hands the entire time.

Knowing his end will surely come, Crowler was silent for a moment before turning to his students. "My students! No matter what happens to me, always remember this! It's true, I may have been hard on you at times, but it's simply because I believe in you! Therefore, if I fall here, there's still hope! Because I know all of you will rise!"

"Don't talk like that!" said Zane, not wanting any of this to happen. Not like this!

Trembling, Elize refused to accept this reality as she shut her eyes tightly and covered her ears. "No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening! Please, Dr. Crowler! Just say you have a Trap card or something up your sleeve! I don't care if you even cheat at this point! Nobody wants you gone!"

Even Jaden seemed conflicted. "This isn't good...!"

"Have you finished your final lesson yet, Crowler?" questioned Camula with a bored expression as she checked her nails.

"EXCUSE ME, BUT THAT'S 'DR' TO YOU!" corrected Crowler, being stubborn up to the bitter end.

"Hahaha! If you wish, I will put it in your tombstone when I am finished!"

Unable to handle it, Elize just hid behind her friends, hearing muffled noises from the battlefield along with Crowler's screams. _'It'll be okay, it'll be okay, it'll be okay!'_ the young girl thought, falling to her knees and unable to look up.

* * *

 _The next day..._

"I'll play a Trap, and then I'll play a Spell! And then I'll attack!" declared Jaden, still in bed inside the infirmary with everyone else. He sighed out of exhaustion. "Well, as soon as I get better, I will. Camula's gonna get it, sooner or later!"

Clutching Dr. Crowler's doll-like form near her, Elize couldn't help but feel depressed after what transpired from yesterday's events. She was the only one who didn't know what happened to Crowler until one of her friends said that the duel was over and helped her up. They told her about Crowler being turned into a doll and that Camula retreated to some giant castle hidden in the mist, stating that she awaits the next challenger.

Afterwards, Elize offered to take care of the Crowler doll until further notice because it was the best she could do. But, back there, she felt like a coward; unable to see the aftermath of the duel because she was too frightened to. This just proved inside of her, Elize was just a coward unable to do anything. She thought she was prepared, but last night's events and her actions proved otherwise.

"I mean, taking that Spirit Key is one thing," complained Jaden, further ranting on about Camula. "But, Crowler's soul, too?"

"Jay...you really oughta rest," suggested Syrus, seeing how the low mood and Jaden's ranting wasn't helping anyone.

"Sy's right," agreed Banner. "After all, if we're not at our best, it's our souls that'll be sealed in those dolls, and our bodies will be... _catatonic_!"

While saying the truth, Banner trembled with fear, unable to help himself as he accidentally grasped at Pharaoh's fur and tugged at it, causing the cat to yelp and leap out of the professor's arms and hidden under Jaden's infirmary bed.

"No, Pharaoh!" said Banner, trying to comfort his cat while also crawling under the bed. "Just because the word 'cat' in it doesn't mean it applies to you! Though, I'm not sure nine lives make a difference to vampires."

"Aw man..." muttered Syrus. That moment clearly didn't lighten the situation one bit.

"The worst part is, since Camula was able to take Crowler's key, she needs six more to unleash those beast cards," reminded Bastion.

Glancing worriedly at her unconscious brother, Alexis added, "And it won't just be our souls at stake, but everyone's in the world!"

"That's it!" shouted Jaden, laying against his bed and clutching his sheets tightly. "I'm dueling her! Tonight!"

"You? Duel? Think again!" scoffed Chazz, ripping the sheets away from him before pulling them over the injured teen. "You can't even win a fight with a sheet! This duel is for the Chazz!"

"Hold on...! Hold on...!" Struggling and wriggling out of the sheets, Jaden's head popped out as he took a breather. "There! I won!"

"You did not! It's two out of three!" Chazz stated, pulling the covers over Jaden again before shoving him back, leaving the boy to struggle with the sheets once again.

"Come on, Jaden! You can do it!" encouraged Syrus.

"Look, Jaden's not up to snuff," Chazz said, turning to the rest of his friends. "One of us is going to have to face Camula!"

"And by 'us,' you mean you, correct?" said Bastion before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Chazz. But I'm not entirely convinced that you're the man for the job. I should go."

"You?"

"A-Almost got it!" grunted Jaden. "Man, how tough is this?!"

"Shut it!' snapped Chazz.

"Okay, sure. I need the break!"

"And what we need is to work together," spoke Alexis, standing up. "Protecting the keys and getting Crowler's soul back is all that matters!"

Everyone could at least agree with that, as they nodded together with her except for Elize, who was still depressed. Camula definitely needed to be taken down, but what was more important was the Spirit Keys and the life of their...well, not exactly good, but still a little likable teacher.

Jaden knew he couldn't convince the others to let him out right now. "Alright, alright! I'll sit out! Until I get better, that is."

Deciding enough was enough, Zane left the infirmary silently, with nobody noticing him except for his little brother, who followed him out.

"Hey, Zane!" called out Syrus, prompting Zane to halt and turn to see Syrus chasing after him. "Hey, big bro? Didn't we just decide to work together? Where are you going? What gives?"

Normally, Zane would give the silent treatment and leave it for Syrus to figure it out, but he actually gave his little brother a small smirk before leaving, saying, "If all that matters is protecting those keys and rescuing Crowler, you know where I'm going."

* * *

 _Inside Elize's room..._

 _ **"I don't get it,"**_ spoke up Hiita, watching Elize take the Crowler doll out of a small bucket of warm, soapy water and drying him. _**"Why bother cleaning him up? He's a doll!"**_

 _ **"Technically, his soul is trapped inside a doll,"**_ corrected Aussa.

"Right," said Elize, putting her Slifer Red jacket back on before placing Crowler's clothes back on and buttoning up his coat. "Until he turns back to normal, I'll be taking care of him.

 _ **"That's so sweet of you, Elize. Despite him being a bit of a jerk, you still care for him!"**_ said Lyna, hugging Elize from behind. _**"No wonder you're the second, most adorable person in the world! Well, #1 being me, of course!"**_

"T-thank you...but it's really nothing," assured Elize, brushing Crowler's hair with a hairbrush after tying his blond hair into its usual ponytail. "This is the least I can do for being useless last night."

 _ **"What do you mean?"**_ Aussa asked while Hiita and Lyna glanced at each other worriedly. They didn't like it when Elize gets into a depressed mood, preferring their master and friend to be more energetic and happy than sad and lonely.

"...After Camula defeated Crowler in a duel, none of us could do anything. I...I couldn't even see the events right to the bitter end because I was...s-s-scared...That's what I'm so ashamed of. I just hid behind the guys and covered my eyes and ears the entire time."

 _ **"Elize, don't blame yourself! None of that was your fault!"**_ said Lyna, squeezing her hold onto Elize tightly despite the fact that Elize couldn't feel anything from a spiritual spirit.

 _ **"Yeah! It was that Camula bitch!"**_ growled Hiita, pounding her fist into her palm. _**"When we duel her, I'll be ready to take her down with my fire magic!"**_

"..." Elize only tightened her grip on the hairbrush as she continued stroking Crowler's hair, only trembling by the legs.

 _ **"Hey!"**_ hissed Aussa, nudging Hiita. _**"You might want to refrain from saying anything like that!"**_

 _ **"What? Ohhh..."**_

Elize still haven't forgotten about the fact that eventually, she'll have to face a Shadow Rider by herself, and when she does, it'll probably be all on her with no other help whatsoever. Just the thought terrified her because she didn't want to die, but she didn't want any of her other friends to suffer as well.

 _ **"OWWW! Hey, watch the hair!"**_ complained a voice coming from the Crowler doll.

"..."

 _ **"..."**_

"..."

 _ **"..."**_

"...AAAAHHH!" Elize along with the three Charmers in the room, screamed, causing Crowler to scream as well.

 _ **"AAAAHHH! WHY ON EARTH ARE WE SCREAMING! STOP, ALL FOUR OF YOU GIRLS!"**_

"D-Dr. Crowler? Is that really you?" wondered Elize, picking him up by the arm.

 _ **"Hey! Stop that! It feels like my arm's going to rip off!"**_

"Oh! Sorry!" This time, Elize held the doll tenderly with both hands.

Hiita walked up with the end of her staff lit up with a fireball as she grinned sinisterly. _**"Hey...if that's really your hardass teacher, then this is the perfect chance to burn him up! Leave no remains!"**_

"No, no, no, no, no!" cried out Elize as Crowler screamed in terror while Lyna and Aussa shielded Elize and Crowler. "I may not like him that much but I'm not willing to hurt him!"

 _ **"Yes! Thank you, dear, sweet Elize! Take me away from that crazy fire lady!"**_

 _ **"WHAT WAS THAT?!"**_

 _ **"Guys, look out the window!"**_ shouted Lyna, pointing out. Turning, Elize gasped when she saw a flock of Camula's loyal bats swarming the dark, cloudy skies. Sensing trouble up ahead, Elize grabbed the Crowler doll along with her deck before heading out towards the lake, knowing the others might be there because last time they encountered Camula, she was there before.

* * *

 _At the castle..._

Once gathered, even Jaden who somehow managed to convince Alexis, Syrus, and Chumley to allow him to tag along, the entire group stayed together as they walked down the velvet carpet laid down across the ocean before them, which lead them towards Camula's home castle.

"So, explain to me again why we're going TO this place instead of running away from it?" questioned Chumley, carrying Jaden on his back. "Or, walking away?"

"W-well, one of us has to duel Camula or else she'll cause more trouble again," answered Elize kindly.

"Wait, one of us?! I hope it isn't me!"

Elize placed an hand on her friend's arm. "It's okay, Chumley. I'm pretty sure she won't target you."

"Besides, she's only after the Spirit Keys," reminded Bastion. "Chumley doesn't have one, so he's cleared."

"Well, it's not like he could do anything anyways," said Chazz. "He's useless in a duel, after all!"

 **WHACK!** Alexis slapped the back of Chazz's head, causing Chazz to yelp and grip his head in pain. "Hey! Take that back! Or else!"

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry!"

Upon entering the castle, the group discovered a long line of stairs they had to climb to reach further deeper into the castle, and luckily for them, torches lit up along the way.

"Ah man! Now we gotta do stairs?" whined Chumley.

"It's just a little bit further, Chumley," assured Elize. "I'm sure it won't take that long."

After a few minutes, the group reached the next room, which would appear much darker if it weren't for the torches guiding their path and making them move down deeper inside of the mysterious castle.

"Can I just drag Jaden instead of carrying him? It'd be easier on my back," complained Chumley.

"Quiet," scolded Zane, hearing something. "We're close."

Up ahead was what appeared to be the main hall, as it happened to be a huge, grand room with the chandelier above the ceiling with some stairs leading to two separate balconies.

"Ah, right on time!" announced Camula, standing on top of one of the two balconies. The others were surprised by her sudden appearance, yet tried not to let fear overtake them.

"We want Crowler back!" demanded Jaden angrily.

"You got that right!" agreed Chazz, being the first to challenge Camula. "So, hand him over!"

"Yes!" said Bastion, also stepping forward. "Or else!"

"I have no interest in little schoolboys," replied Camula, having revealed that Chazz and Bastion didn't seem like challenges to her.

"She must mean you," Bastion said, turning to Chazz.

Offended, Chazz argued, "No, she means you!"

"Are you ready, darling?" Camula asked, turning her attention to Zane, who noticed her target was him.

Having prepared himself for this duel, Zane had no objections in her request to duel him. "Let's duel."

While everyone else gasped in awe, wondering how Zane was going to handle the female vampire, Syrus knew that his brother, the most strongest duelist he knew, would handle this situation. "Good luck, bro..." whispered Syrus, having faith in him.

Lightning struck from the stormy clouds above the castle, lightning up the dark main momentarily several times as Zane and Camula faced each other on top of the separate balconies, beginning to duel.

"Let us review," announced Camula. "If you win, you get Crowler's soul back, and I'll be on my way. But if I win, I get your soul, your Spirit Key, and I get to continue my quest in releasing the three Sacred Beasts!"

Both of them activated their duel disks at the same time, glaring at one another before uttering the word that would begin the duel.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Camula - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Zane - 4000 LP**

"I like to win," spoke Camula seductively as she started things off by drawing her card. 'I summon Vampire Lady in Defense Mode!"

A female vampire resembling Camula, yet appearing differently, kneeled down with both arms crossed over her chest.

Vampire Lady - (DARK/Zombie) - LV4 - (1550/1550)

"And I'll lay one card facedown. That's all."

"Really? Shame," spoke Zane disappointedly as he drew his card. "Because it won't protect you from what I have planned! I activate Power Bond from my hand!"

Gasping, everyone went silent as they continued to watch the intense duel. Zane is always the type of duelist to be extremely careful and not take so heavy risks, but now that he's activated a risky card like Power Bond, the power will be great, but at a cost. It would be better to use Polymerization, but it's possible Zane doesn't have the card in his hands.

"Playing Power Bond?" questioned Camula.

"It allows me to fuse Machine-Type Monsters!" declared Zane. "And I have the perfect three Cyber Dragons in my hand! Now unite and form the almighty Cyber End Dragon!"

With the powerful Spell card activated, the three Cyber Dragons roared proudly before merging together to combine their powers and bodies together to form a new beast that's dominate the battlefield.

Cyber End Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV10 - (4000/2800)

"Zane summoned his most powerful Monster on his very first turn!" pointed out Alexis as the others gasped in awe at Zane's fully controlled power.

While impressed by his big brother's skill, Syrus couldn't help but feel as though something was wrong. _'Wow, that's not like Zane. He usually feels out an opponent before throwing out Power Bond. It's almost like he's just using it, instead of playing it. I just hope he knows what he's doing.'_

What Zane failed to realize, was that while Power Bond may not be his downfall, his own rushing strategy may very well lead to his doom.

"Hmph. I like your aggressiveness, but Power Bond does have its risks," reminded Camula. "Are you certain you can handle all the consequences?"

"She's right," said Chumley. "At the End Phase of Zane's turn, he's take Damage equal to Cyber End Dragon's original Attack Points! And that's 4000 big ones! But, that may be a risk he's willing to take! Because now, Power Bond doubles Cyber End Dragon's Attack Points!"

"Yeah, but I sure hope Zane has a backup plan in case his attack doesn't pull through," said Elize, concern.

"Last time I checked, Cyber End Dragon also has some piercing effect, so Camula's Monster doesn't have a chance even if she's in Defense Mode!" said Jaden.

Cyber End Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV10 - (8000/2800)

"8000 Attack Points?!" gasped Camula, astonished by how much power the Fusion Dragon suddenly obtained.

"I don't think I'll have to worry about consequences after this turn!" said Zane. "Now, attack Vampire Lady! Super Strident Wave!"

The three heads of Cyber End Dragon charged up large streams of energy from within their jaws before blasting all simulataneously.

"Forgetting my facedown?!" shouted Camula, having prepared for such a situation like this. "I activate the Trap, Red Ghost Moon! Now, darling, by discarding one Zombie-Type from my hand to the Graveyard, your Monster's Attack Points are added directly to my Life Points and the Battle Phase ends right here and now!"

Gritting his teeth, Zane knew there was nothing in his hand that could prevent the Trap from ending the Battle Phase while it completely shielded Vampire Lady, negating her destruction through battle as the surging energy waves transformed into sparkles that rained onto Camula.

"That's 8000 Points, plus the 4000 I have, giving me a total of 12000!"

Revealing De-Fusion in his hand, Zane shouted, "Wrong! I activate the Quick-Play card, De-Fusion! This cancels out Cyber End Dragon and Special Summons his Fusion Materials back to the field. Plus, it leaves you..."

"With absolutely nothing!" said Bastion, having figured out his plan. "Red Ghost Moon's target is gone, so its effect is cancelled!"

"My points!" gasped Camula as the healing effect that was supposed to increase her Life Points vanished. In place happened to be the three Cyber Dragons that were originally the Fusion Materials for Cyber End Dragon.

Cyber Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV5 - (2100/1600) X3

"Hey, you know what else?" said Syrus. "Now that Power Bond is gone..."

Chumley nodded. "He won't have to pay points for using it!"

"Whew!" sighed Elize, relieved since she feared for Zane. At least Zane was playing it smart instead of acting reckless like earlier.

"Now that's playing a card, huh, Sy?" told Jaden, impressed.

"Yeah!"

"I'll end with one facedown," declared Zane, ending his turn.

Camula chuckled, finding herself enjoying this duel more than she should. Even with her knowledge of Zane's deck in and out, he still proves to be an interesting challenger. "Oh, my darling! I see why you're ranked the top duelist at Duel Academy!"

"Actually, you haven't seen anything yet," spoke Zane.

"Well, I hope not, Zane dear. Precious, we've only just begun this duel, and I expect to have a lot more fun with you!"

"Aw man! I don't think I'm gonna like her kind of fun!" muttered Syrus, getting worried since it appeared that the two were only just starting to warm up.

"Now then, shall we?" said Camula, drawing her card before smirking. "First, I'll sacrifice Vampire Lady to summon Vampire Lord!"

Vampire Lord - (DARK/Zombie) - LV5 - (2000/1500)

"Next, I'll remove him to Special Summon Vampire Genesis!"

Vampire Genesis - (DARK/Zombie) - LV8 - (3000/2100)

"Ugly!" commented Chazz, disgusted by the reappearance of the same Monster that took down Crowler's Ancient Gear Golem. Then again, this was no time for insults as this was quite troubling for Zane, considering that he may have 3 Monsters, but none of them can stand up against a great beast such as Vampire Genesis.

"Darling, Zane," said Camula. "I promised you some fun, didn't I? And now, we'll have it! Are you _excited_?"

"..." Zane remained as stoic and silent as ever, wishing to get the duel over with so that Camula would stay out of him and his friends' lives forever and get back Crowler's soul.

"Ugh! You're such a bore!" grunted Camula, disappointed with his silent response. "Perhaps this will rouse you! Vampire Genesis, attack!"

"As fun as this is, I'm afraid I'm going to have to interrupt it with my facedown card," Zane spoke at last. "Attack Reflector Unit! One that's evolutionary! You see, Attack Reflector Unit evolves my Cyber Dragon into the Cyber Barrier Dragon!"

One of the three Cyber Dragons began glowing as light particles overflowed into his body, reassembling his body into a much stronger one of defensive purposes.

Cyber Barrier Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV6 - (800/2800)

"And when Cyber Barrier Dragon is in Attack Mode, once per turn, his special power allows me to negate the attack of one Monster! Your Vampire Genesis' attack can go right back where it started!"

Right as Vampire Genesis was about to unleash his powers, Cyber Barrier Dragon was quicker in putting up his defenses and managed to block his charging power, causing Vampire Genesis to cease his attack.

"How dare you!" growled Camula.

"Your bro's got game!" Jaden complimented to Syrus. "No wonder he beat me! Well, he was close!"

"Yeah!"

"And now, it's my turn!" said Zane, drawing his card. "And I play Pot of Greed! This lets me draw 2 cards from my deck! Then, I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Photon Generator Unit! Now, by sacrificing my two Cyber Dragons, I can Special Summon the Cyber Laser Dragon!"

In response to the sacrifices of two dragons, a powerful new dragon took their place, being equal in power with Cyber Barrier Dragon.

Cyber Laser Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV7 - (2400/1800)

"And with Cyber Laser Dragon, once every turn, I can destroy one Monster that has equal or more Attack or Defense Points than Laser Dragon's Attack Points!"

"I guess you talk to all girls like that," grumbled Camula.

"No, just ones I really don't like! Now, Laser Dragon! Let loose! Blue Lightning Flash!"

As the name suggested, Cyber Laser Dragon shot a blue beam that struck like lightning and destroyed Vampire Genesis.

"And now go ahead and attack her directly! Blue Lightning Blast!"

Camula screamed painfully as she was struck with such an immense force from Cyber Laser Dragon.

 **Camula - 1600 LP**

 **Zane - 4000 LP**

"Oh, and don't think I forgot about Cyber Barrier Dragon! Attack! Sonic Shriek!"

With Cyber Barrier Dragon's turn to attack, he showed no mercy as his shockwaves were enough to send her flying against the wall.

 **Camula - 800 LP**

 **Zane - 4000 LP**

"Alright!" cheered Syrus.

'That's exactly the move I would have made!" bragged Chumley.

"Sure, Chum! Totally! In your dreams!" chuckled Jaden jokingly.

Turning back to the duel with full confidence in Zane, Syrus said, "So, now you guys can see why my brother's never lost a duel, huh, guys? Still, Mom says I've got the looks!"

"Uh..." Jaden and Chumley weren't quite sure how to respond to that, given that Zane was more handsome than Syrus' child-like appearance.

 _'Still, Syrus' right! Just one more turn, and Zane will win, and we can get Dr. Crowler's soul back!'_ thought Elize, celebrating on the inside. _'This is amazing!'_

"I'll place one facedown and end my turn," announced Zane.

"Darling..." spoke up Camula as her wicked expression returned while she stood back on her feet. "You do realize that you're forcing me to reveal my ugly side?"

Zane grimanced, but remained as cool as ice, yet for that brief second, he could hide the digust in his face when he saw her true self. Whatever scheme she had, he had to be extremely careful!

"And it's only going to get uglier!" Camula said after drawing her card. "I play Illusion Gate!"

Behind Camula, a mysterious gate containing mystic powers of darkness within emerged from the floor as mist hid the very corners of the gate. Anyone could tell that the gate wasn't something to be tampered with so easily unless one wished for an early death wish.

"Illusion Gate?" questioned Zane, having never heard of such a card before.

"Uh oh! I've never heard of it!" commented Jaden. "You guys know what it does?"

Unfortunately, nobody knew what such a card did, even Bastion, and he was supposed to be the smartest of them all. Yet, Elize was getting a strange vibe from the card, as if it was extremely dangerous, and hoped Zane would survive whatever effects Illusion Gate had.

"Behold!" announced Camula. "First, this Spell card destroys all Monsters on the field! But that's not all! It has twin functions!"

With Illusion Gates' effect activating, the gate burst opened and a radiant light blinded everyone on the spot as Zane's two Cyber Dragons vanished. Afterwards, a shadow-like clone of Camula's appeared from her own shadow, being a copycat that surprised Zane.

"You see, this card also lets me Special Summon any Monster you've used this entire duel! So, even though you defused Cyber End Dragon after one turn. you did use him during this duel!"

"Oh, please!" scoffed Zane. "No card is powerful enough to let you make a move like that! There must be some kind of catch!"

"Yes, but it's just a tiny one," explained Camula as her copy began glowing. "After using Illusion Gate, should I happen to still lose this duel, I must sacrifice a soul to the Sacred Beasts!"

"That's all?" wondered Bastion as Elize got the distinct feeling something bad was going to happen.

"Well, good!" shouted Chazz. "It's what you get for taking Crowler's!"

"Beg your pardon?" wondered Camula. "I said 'a' soul. Not 'my' soul. See, in the shadows, it's all the same to the Sacred Beasts...Syrus."

"Huh?" Startled, Syrus pointed to himself when Camula glanced at him and called out his name just a moment ago.

"Oh yes...Those Beasts would find your soul to be a tasty treat, I'm sure."

Gasping, Zane realized whose soul Camula meant to sacrifice before screaming at the top of his lungs, "SYRUS! RUN!"

"Oh no you don't!" Not willing to let her prey get away, Camula's copy flew downwards and swooped up Syrus. Everyone was stunned as it happened all so quickly and couldn't do a single thing but watch.

Zane gritted his teeth as sweat poured down from the corner of his cheek. This was really bad! He knew Camula was bad, but this has just taken to a brand new level!

"S-sorry, Zane..." muttered Syrus, feeling weakened by under the hold of Camula's copy.

"AND NOW!" Bellowed Camula, raising her arm into the air. "I Special Summon the almighty Cyber End Dragon!"

Energy gained by draining the life out of Syrus, the gates sprang opened as Cyber End Dragon emerged from within Illusion Gate, facing off against his former master. With the energy obtained, most of Syrus' strength was gone as he was left weakened and motionless.

Cyber End Dragon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV10 - (4000/2800)

"Whatever will you do?" wondered Camula, amused. "I've got the souls of the doctor and your little brother! Actually, I suppose they're really one of the same, now. After all, if you manage to do in the Cyber End Dragon, you'll also be doing in little Syrus' soul! So, like I said, whatever will you do?"

Thinking things over, Zane remembered the facedown card he had in play. _'The facedown card on my field is Call of the Haunted. If I use it to revive Cyber Barrier Dragon, I can use it to stop that Cyber End Dragon and win the duel! Camula will be defeated! We'll be that much closer to keeping the world safe from those Sacred Beasts, and in exchange, we just lose one soul! My brother's...the choice is clear.'_

"So, what is it going to be? Save the world, or save your brother's soul? Which also means losing yours!"

Opening his eyes, Syrus spoke as loudly as he could, though he was still weak. "Go on Zane...do it. You have to. My soul is a small price to pay...to stop Camula. After all, if she wins this duel, Zane, she'll get your Spirit Key, and you know what that means...The Shadow Riders...they'll be that much closer to freeing those Sacred Beasts...Besides, Zane...if one of us has to go down, it might as well be me. Sure, I may have gotten the looks, but the truth is, you've got just about everything else...Skills, the smarts...Everything. Anyways, big bro...it's alright. I mean, at least this way, I'll be remembered as someone other than being your little brother...This way, Zane...I'll be the one who's the hero... The one who saves the day...after all, we both know I would have never made it through with dueling...It's just like you said, I never belonged here..."

Elize bit her lower lip as she heard the heartwarming speech Syrus gave with the last of his strength. She wished she could be as strong as Syrus. Sure, Syrus might not be that skilled like her, but at least he tries his best. And, he's not even afraid of sacrificing himself for the greater good, something Elize could never do. Something Elize knew that would make her a coward.

Zane smiled before shaking his head. "I did say that, Syrus...But since then, you've proved me wrong. You do belong here. I love you, Syrus. Never forget it."

"Zane...' Even in his predicament, Syrus couldn't help but allow tears of happiness roll down his cheeks after being acknowledged by his brother.

With his final words to his brother said and done, Zane lowered his arms. "I stand down."

"Zane! No!" Now Syrus' tears turned for fear as he watched Cyber End Dragon take down Zane with no hesitation. "Stop! Take me!"

 **Camula - 800 LP**

 **Zane - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Camula**

* * *

 _The next day..._

"What are you saying?!" demanded Alexis, standing up from her seat. She, Chazz, Jaden, and Elize all gathered inside the infirmary with the only sleeping person being Atticus.

It's been a rough night for them last night ever since Zane was turned into a doll for Camula's amusement. Everyone had to leave the castle instead of dueling Camula to make sure Syrus was alright physically after his body was fully void of any energy. Ever since then, Syrus had been crying nonstop over the loss of his brother, blaming himself while everyone felt sympathy for him.

And now, while trying to discuss a game plan against Camula, Elize brought up the idea of more people dueling against her at once, which everyone can abide to...until Elize suggested she be the bait and sacrifice should worst situations occur.

"I-I want to be useful and try to help out!" said Elize, clutching onto her Spirit Key. "If I can distract Camula, or even get my own soul as a sacrifice, then that's fi-"

 **SLAP!** Upset, Alexis slapped Elize across the face, shocking the residents inside the infirmary. Both girls were close to each other like sister, so it was rare to see Alexis worked up even if it was for a good reason. She'd never hurt sweet Elize...but now they've seen it all.

"No, you can't! You're not good enough! There's no reason to do what you say!" shouted Alexis as Elize gently touched her cheek with a trembling hand.

"Alexis! That was uncalled for!" shouted Jaden, defending Elize. "I mean, I got why you did that, but you didn't have to!"

"Feh, it's probably for the best," scoffed Chazz, crossing his arms. "She needs to learn some things the hard way. Might as well get started."

"What? Chazz!"

"Hey, she's the one who brought this all up," Chazz said, pointing to Elize, who was wiping her tears away. "The crybaby might as well be the next one up against Camula if she wants to prove useful! She's practically been nothing but a drag!"

"That's it-! Ugh!" Jaden clutched his sides, still injured from his duel with Nightshroud.

"...Okay," spoke up Elize, getting everyone's attention as she stood up.

"What?"

"..." Silently, Elize left and closed the door behind her. Sniffling, she wiped away more of her tears before looking up, feeling determined than ever before leaving to make some preparations.

* * *

 _Later..._

"Hey, so could you grab the towels inside the storage warehouse?" called out an Obelisk Blue girl, wearing a swimsuit as she and her friend were preparing to head towards the beach.

"Yeah, hang on!" her friend called back, entering inside the Obelisk Blue Girls' warehouse and then exiting once she found what she was looking for. "Hey, I'm back!"

"Hey! So, what's with that look?"

"It's strange...but for some reason, I didn't see one of the rowboats in there. Weird,huh?"

"Eh...someone might be using it. Anyways, let's hurry up! I still want to tan this at some cool spot I found!"

"Neat!"

* * *

 **Finished! Read and review!**


	16. Fields of Screams Part 3

**Hello, people! Passing thanks to the whole Thanksigiving holiday, let's celebrate with a brand new chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Normally, when a hero goes to confront the evil villain and stop them once and for all, they tend to leave a sort of grand entrance to show how powerful and dedicated they truly are at their role. Whether it be explosions, doors getting kicked down, or easily taking out minor villains before facing off the final boss; every hero makes a stand.

But, for the young heroine, Elize's case...

"S-S-S-S-SO COLD!" she whined, hugging her shivering self before getting back to rowing in the small rowboat she...sorta stoled from the Obelisk Blue Girls' warehouse. But, she made a reminder to herself to return the rowboat once she returned.

Well, that's if she managed to beat Camula, that is.

For now, she was focusing on getting towards the grand castle, which shouldn't take too long seeing how her vision was getting more clear as she continued rowing towards the castle. The more she came closer, the more she could see the castle. The cold waves bumped and swayed the rowboat multiple times and even splashed onto some of her clothes, causing her to shiver and squeak whenever water hit her body.

At last, she knew she arrived when she bumped into something hard. Stepping out of the rowboat and onto the stairs that lead towards the castle entrance, Elize took a few seconds to rest as she panted; her breath being seen in the cold air. Having rested a bit, Elize began to drag the rowboat out of the water and placed it somewhere on the stairs so that it wouldn't wash away.

With that done, she climbed up the stairs, hugging herself to keep herself warm before pushing the doors opened and entering the castle for the second time. It felt slightly warmer than outside, but she still felt cold as she walked down the halls, following the torches as they were her only guide to light.

* * *

 _Later, near the lake..._

"...And that's what happened?" wondered Bastion, surprised after Chazz told him what happened in the infirmary. Both male students were standing near the lake where the red carpet leading to the castle just now rolled up towards them, granting them entry.

Chazz nodded, his arms crossed. "Yeah. She must be so stupid in the head, coming up with the idea of sacrificing herself."

"...It is true that we don't need any unnecessary sacrifices. But, Chazz, don't you think you were a little harsh to her by saying that? I mean, we all know Elize isn't as strong as you. And I don't mean dueling."

"Feh! Just think of this as a way for her to improve. If any of us just pities her all the time, she won't learn anything the hard way! I'm just doing everyone a favor!"

Bastion had to agree on that fact, yet his face was still stern. "Yes...I can understand why. But, don't regret your actions. I'm giving you a warning. Sometimes, actions can lead to consequences. Consequences that I'm sure will be most unpleasant."

"Whatever."

"Come on, Professor Banner! You have to duel that vampire!" begged Syrus as he and Chumley were forcibly dragging their teacher, who was trying to fight back with Pharaoh in his arms. "I mean, you're a Shadow Games expert!"

"Yeah, and not only that, but you're the only one here who's wearing garlic aftershave!" commented Chumley, pushing their teacher onward.

"I-I can't duel!" cried out Banner. "Who'll take care of my cat?! And besides, I don't have a Spirit Key!"

"Don't worry about it! This is clearly a job for Chazz Princeton anyways!" bragged Chazz with confidence in his words.

"If you mean feeding the cat, I think you're right," said Bastion calmly, causing Chazz to glare at him.

"Guys!" cried out Alexis, running towards them with Jaden lagging behind due to his injuries. When she managed to catch up to them, she was already out of breath and had placed her hands on her knees to keep herself standing.

"What's wrong, Alexis?" asked Syrus.

"Have...have any of you...*gasp* seen Elize?"

"Huh? She hasn't been here. Why?" wondered Bastion.

"I wanted to tag along to see who duels Camula, and Alexis kinda told me to help look for Elize," said Jaden.

"I felt bad about earlier, so I went to her dorm room to apologize to her when I discovered she wasn't there," replied Alexis, looking sorrowful. "Just where could she be?"

"Maybe she's already inside the castle?" suggested Chumley.

"Impossible," spoke up Bastion. "Me and Chazz have been here longer than any of you. We would have seen her if that was the case. Plus, the red carpet is the only way getting across to the castle. Unless you wish to say that she was here earlier and swam all the way, which I can say that's impossible."

"Alexis, it's fine," assured Jaden, placing a hand on her shoulder. "She's probably somewhere else by now. We should go find her later."

"Yeah...I guess you're right." Yet even when she agreed, Alexis couldn't help but feel as though something was wrong.

* * *

 _Back inside the castle..._

For protection, Elize clutched onto the two halves of the Shadow Charm as she continued wandering aimlessly inside of the dark castle. She could feel that she's getting close towards Camula, yet she couldn't stop trembling not just from being cold, but from being scared as well.

Luckily, before she left, Atticus talked to her a bit before handing her the second half of the Shadow Charm; the first she received from Gravekeeper's Chief, thus confirming that he must have been the first challenger to ever beat Gravekeeper's Chief. Still, would she be enough for Camula, even with Atticus' support?

* * *

 _Flashback..._

 _Elize was nervous when she entered inside the infirmary, not wanting to encounter Alexis, Chazz, or possibly anyone else right at the moment because of what happened last time. Except, Ms. Fontaine was alright since she's the school nurse and it was her job to check up on injured students._

 _Luckily for Elize, nobody else was inside except for Atticus and Jaden, who both appeared to be sleeping at the moment. Not wishing to disturb them, Elize placed some flowers near Jaden's side before walking over to Atticus' and putting his own share of flowers right next to his head._

 _"Ngh..." Groaning, Atticus reached out and his hand lightly touched Elize's fingers, surprising her as she turned to Atticus, who finally opened his eyes. "A-Alexis...? No, you're not...her..."_

 _"A-Atticus?" whispered Elize lightly so that Jaden didn't wake up. "Are you alright?"_

 _Slowly nodding, Atticus spotted half of the Shadow Charm Elize had around her neck. "You...You have a Shadow Charm..."_

 _"Huh? Yeah...Why?"_

 _"Just as I thought...You defeated the Gravekeeper's Chief, didn't you? That's how you obtained the Shadow Charm...right?"_

 _"How do you know?"_

 _"Listen...What's...your name?" asked Atticus weakly._

 _"Elize. My name is Elize Simington," said Elize._

 _"I see...Elize, I need to tell you about her...the vampire known as Camula...You cannot defeat her like the others. She has a Shadow Charm that gives you the power to use souls. I see you've seen her use it already. But you can stop her with another charm. Here."_

 _With all of his remaining strength, Atticus removed the Shadow Charm around him and gave the other half to Elize. "But...why me? I'm not strong!" said Elize, discouraged. "Alexis and Chazz even said it themselves! Why don't I just hand the Shadow Charm over to someone else?"_

 _"Unfortunately...you can't. It's not that simple. The only way to use a Shadow Charm...is to gain possession of it through unknown forces...like in a duel. But enough about that. You defeated Gravekeeper's Chief, so obviously you must be strong."_

 _Elize shook her head. "T-that was only luck! I just got lucky that one time! I'm not strong at all! I'm just some normal, useless girl who can't do anything!"_

 _"That's...not true," grunted Atticus, sitting up. "I'll admit...I don't know you since this is the first time we've met. But...I can feel it...That you have a strong spirit and heart. Although, I have to admit, it's...not as strong as Jaden's...but at the very least...try your be-Urk!"_

 _"Atticus!" Elize rushed up to him and placed a hand on his back, patting it as gently as she could while helping him lie back down. "You should rest."_

 _"Yeah...probably for the best...but, beware of Camula. Using a Shadow Charm isn't the only trick...she...has..." Sleep overwhelming him, Atticus closed his eyes and drifted off._

* * *

"Oh? You came alone, little one?"

"Huh?" Looking up, Elize found herself back in the main hall room where Camula and Zane clashed in their duel last time. Camula was standing on top of the balconies with her beloved bats surrounding her with affection as the beautiful vampire stared down at her opponent.

"I see your friends are not with you. Did you perhaps come here alone?" questioned Camula.

"O-Oh! Y-Yes! It's nice to meet you again, M-Miss Camula!" sputtered Elize, bowing her head out of fear. "P-Please duel me!"

"Hmm...such a brave, yet stupid girl. Did you not see how I already defeated two of your friends? Not to mention, one of them being the strongest of Duel Academy."

"T-to be fair, I don't really think that was a fair duel," said Elize. "You did take Syrus hostage after all."

"Nonsense! It was fair play! Rather, Zane should be blaming himself since he was the one who insisted on rushing the duel," replied Camula, defending herself.

"T-that's true..."

"Well, it does not matter what you think. Because you're never leaving here again! You should have never come here, foolish mortal!" Camula hissed, startling Elize as the young human girl was walking up the stairs and onto the other balcony to face Camula.

Elize winched and gulped, but tried to keep her strong spirit intact as she got ready to duel. "Okay! I can do this! Miss Camula, I-I'm going to defeat you, and then bring back Zane and Dr. Crowler! Then, everyone will be happy!"

Camula couldn't help but laugh. "It's so cute, seeing you resist like this. But I find that hard to believe when your legs are quivering."

"I-I'm just a bit cold, that's all! Anyways, are you ready to duel yet?"

"Hmph. Seeing someone like you, it won't take me long to defeat you and continue my quest in reviving the Sacred Beasts!" said Camula confidently as both female duelists activated their duel disks.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Camula - 4000 LP**

"My turn, draw!" said Elize. "I summon Hiita the Fire Charmer in Attack Mode!"

Her fiery, red-haired Charmer friend emerged onto the field, making a flame-like grand entrance as she gave Camula a wide grin, glad to fight.

Hiita the Fire Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"Ha! My Werewolf can easily tear that frail mage apart!" commented Camula, unimpressed due to Hiita's Attack Points.

"I'm not done yet!" Elize said. "But first, please heat up the room, Hiita!"

Nodding, Hiita summoned fire from her palms and created a circle of fire around the room, causing the temperature to rise as Elize took this chance to warm herself up as the rising temperature dried her clothes. Camula backed away, not wanting any of the fire to touch her. To finish things off, Hiita cast fire onto the chandelier above the ceiling, lighting up the room.

"Thank you!" called Elize. "Now, I set a card and activate Polymerization! I fuse Hiita on my field along with Wynn in my hand and Fusion Summon! Forging from the heated fires of a tempered mage, along with the gentle winds of a good-natured magician, I'll combine a sandy storm with both of these Monsters! I Fusion Summon Shandra the Sand Charmer!"

With Hiita bursting in flames and Wynn disappearing in a small twister, both the glames and twister merged with one another before a brand new Charmer appeared from there. Her hair was completely red with a strip of green hair in front and very short; her eyes green, she wore a sand-colored cloak over a sleeveless dark green shirt and dark shorts while wearing fingerless brown gloves and combat boots, and her weapon of choice was a twisted longsword.

Shandra the Sand Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1000)

"Well, well...If you're in such a hurry to lose, then so be it!" said Camula. "I draw! Now I play Illusion Gate!"

"Already?!" exclaimed Elize, shocked. She never expected Camula to play it on her first turn, but luckily, she prepared herself as the spooky gates that caused misfortune made their grand appearance once again.

"I'm sure you remember its effect?" said Camula. "To begin, all Monsters on the field are instantly destroyed! Then, I get to Special Summon any Monster you've played. And all I need to pay for all of this is a soul to the Sacred Beasts should I happen to lose this duel. And since it's just between us two ladies...I think your pure soul will make such a tasty treat for the beasts! Of course, you'll still be dueling, but should you or I lose, your soul will still be lost either way!"

The gates burst opened, causing winds of darkness to fill the air, unaffecting Camula since the Illusion Gate's target was heading straight for Elize's soul. Elize panicked and squeezed her eyes shut, praying that the darkness wouldn't take her soul.

As if on cue, the two halves of her Shadow Charm came together and were made into one, shining so brightly that its effect immediantly took over, chasing away the shadows with its negative light as the winds of darkness were thrown back inside Illusion Gate, thus closing the gates.

"H-Huh?" Seeing her Shadow Charm as one, Elize sighed in relief and fell to her knees. "Oh, thank God! It worked!"

"What?! I don't believe this! How could this have happened?!" demanded Camula. "Girl! What did you do?!"

Seeing as she has a chance of obtaining victory, Elize stood up by herself, glaring at Camula with more determination in her eyes. "Making sure you wouldn't cheat anymore! I won't let you use that Illusion Gate on me just like you tried to use it against Zane and Syrus!"

"Oh, really?!" Raising her head, Camula bellowed, "Illusion Gate! Open your doors and accept my soul as a sacrifice! And now, unleash your powers upon the field!"

The Illusion Gate opened once again, causing a mist of darkness to cover Shandra before she was destroyed.

"Oh no!" cried out Elize.

"Oh, don't you worry, my dear. You'll be seeing her again soon, but she'll be fighting for me!" said Camula as Shandra appeared on Elize's side of the field.

"Next, I'll summon Zombie Werewolf in Attack Mode!"

Zombie Werewolf - (DARK/Zombie) - LV4 - (1200/1200)

Shandra the Sand Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1000)

"Now, then! I shall start off with your Fusion Monster! Shandra the Sand Charmer, attack your former master directly!"

However, Shandra grunted and tried to regain control of her body, as evident from all her trembling, which Camula noticed and was surprised.

Taking this as her chance to act, Elize shouted, "I activate my Trap, Negate Attack! This negates the Monster's attack and ends the Battle Phase!"

Unable to take it, Shandra lashed out at Elize and swung her weapon at her, but due to the barrier from Negate Attack, Shandra bounced back onto Camula's field. The Charmer was relieved that Elize managed to defend herself in time.

"...Fine. I set a card before ending my turn!" said Camula, disappointed.

"My turn, draw!" Elize said. "I equip Snatch Steal to one of your Monsters, Shandra the Sand Charmer! I now gain control of her, but in exchange, during each of your Standby Phases, you gain 1000 Life Points!"

Nodding, Shandra leapt back to Elize's side, happy to be reunited with her proper master this time. Camula gritted her teeth, not expecting that sort of card to behold onto Elize's hands.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Go ahead and destroy my Zombie Werewolf with your Monster," said Camula. "But, remember. That Equip Spell still means I gain Life Points."

"No, it won't!" said Elize. "Now I sacrifice Shandra the Sand Charmer to Tribute Summon Blizzard Princess in Attack Mode! And Blizzard Princess can also be Tribute Summoned using one Spellcaster-Type Monster!"

Replacing Shandra, a cute and beautiful new Monster garbed in a snow-like dress and wielding a crystal mace appeared, ready for anything. The fact that Elize was now able to Tribute and Fusion Summon means that she's not holding back in this duel.

Blizzard Princess - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV8 - (2800/2100)

"Big mistake!" shouted Camula. "Now that you have Normal Summoned such a Monster, I can now activate my facedown card, which will negate the summoning of your Monster!"

"No, I haven't made any mistakes at all!" said Elize. "I now activate Blizzard Princess' effect! When she's Normal Summoned, you can't activate any Spells or Traps for the rest of this turn!"

"What?!"

"And now, I attack your Zombie Werewolf with my Blizzard Princess! Please, destroy him!"

Heaving up her heavy mace with all her might, Blizzard Princess slammed the end of her crystal mace down onto Zombie Werewolf, defeating him with ease.

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Camula - 2600 LP**

Even though Camula was at the mercy of her opponent, she still chuckled darkly. "Did you forget? Whenever Zombie Werewolf's destroyed, he comes back, 500 Points more stronger than the last!"

Zombie Werewolf - (DARK/Zombie) - LV4 - (1700/1200)

"Well, Blizzard Princess is still stronger, and eventually, you're gonna run out of Zombie Werewolves in your deck," reminded Elize. "I'll set a card facedown before ending my turn."

 _'Foolish girl! She's so naive if she thinks Zombie Werewolf is the only threat on the field! This next turn should prove that!'_ thought Camula before drawing her card. "I play the Spell, Pot of Greed! Now, I may draw two more cards! Hmm...Little girl, do you know what's worst than a vampire mistress?"

"Uh..." Elize didn't know how to answer her. "A vampire king?"

Amused by the girl's answer, Camula shook her head. "You get points for trying, but no. It's a vampire mistress with a grudge. Goodbye, my Werewolf! I sacrifice you to summon Vampire Lord!"

Letting out a howl one last time, Zombie Werewolf was sacrificed to bring out a royal-looking vampire such as Vampire Lord.

Vampire Lord - (DARK/Zombie) - LV5 - (2000/1500)

"Next, by removing Vampire Lord from play, I shall Special Summon Vampire Genesis!"

With Vampire Lord gone, a stronger Monster appeared and released a roar which shook the walls and frightened Elize.

Vampire Genesis - (DARK/Zombie) - LV8 - (3000/2100)

"Aah!" cried out Elize. _'Wait, this isn't so bad after all! I mean, I can still win! My facedown is Mirror Force, so if she attacks, I can activate it and then on my next turn, I'll attack directly and then I'll win!'_

"Next, I'll activate the Continuous Spell card, Genesis Crisis!" announced Camula. "Now once, every turn, a Zombie-Type Monster is transferred from my deck directly to my hand. And with Vampire Genesis, I can discard that Monster to the Graveyard to Special Summon another one from my Graveyard! It can be any Zombie-Type, as long as it is a lower level than the one I just discarded! So, I'll be discarding Ryu Kokki to bring out Zombie Werewolf!"

Zombie Werewolf - (DARK/Zombie) - LV4 - (1200/1200)

"Oh, and something perked my interest a bit. Your facedown card. I'm a bit curious as to what it is, but I don't want to risk my Monsters being _destroyed._ So, I've come up with a solution for both of us. And that solution is the Spell card, Giant's Trunade! Now, all the Spells and Traps are returned back to each player's hand!"

Shocked, Elize felt the wind rushing at such a fast pace, the fire in the chandelier above immediantly was blown away as the Spells and Traps were returned to their owners' hands, including the Mirror Force Elize had set. Now, without the fire, the room was as dark as before the duel had started, only slightly more darker with Camula and her Monsters' presence.

"Wow...she's good," Elize had to admit, terrified, but showing a bit of respect towards her opponent.

"And now, Vampire Genesis! Attack Blizzard Princess with Crimson Storm!"

Bursting with power, Vampire Genesis widened his arms out and summoned forth crimson winds which started tearing Blizzard Princess apart as she cried out in pain before being destroyed.

 **Elize - 3800 LP**

 **Camula - 2600 LP**

"And now, Zombie Werewolf! Attack her directly!"

Zombie Werewolf leapt towards Elize, soon getting in front of her and raising his claws. Elize panicked and backed away, moving her face to the side as the claw was brought down and slashed at her cheek, revealing bloody claw marks on her cheek.

"Owwww!" she cried out, clutching her bleeding cheek as Zombie Werewolf pulled away.

 **Elize - 2600 LP**

 **Camula - 2600 LP**

"And now I shall activate Genesis Crisis from my hand once again! I'll take a Zombie-Type Monster from my deck and into my hand! I set a card before ending my turn!"

"My turn!" said Elize, winching in pain due to the wound on her cheek. "I'll set a card and activate Card of Sanctity! This means both of us draws until we have six cards each! And now I activate Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying one of your Spells or Traps! I know the position of one of them you planned to use on my before, so I destroy it! Then, the Ritual Spell card, Doriado's Blessing! All I have to do is send a Monster whose Levels equal to 3 or more to the Graveyard. I send Lyna the Light Charmer to the Graveyard and Ritual Summon Doriado in Defense Mode!"

The kind-hearted mistress of the Charmers held her hands in a prayer manner with her eyes closed as she kneeled.

Elemental Mistress Doriado - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Ritual) - LV3 - (1200/1400)

"Then, I equip Heart of Clear Water to Doriado, meaning she can't be destroyed by card effects or by battle!"

"Oh? Trying to put up some defense?" questioned Camula, smirking. "But even if that's the case, you still can't stop my all-powerful Vampire Genesis!"

"...I...I know that," said Elize, trying to think of a good plan.

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

"Alexis! Wait up!" cried out Jaden as he and the others were frantically trying to catch up to her, chasing her around the insides of the castle. Ever since Alexis saw a rowboat parked on the stairs to the entrance of the castle, she immediantly took off inside of the castle.

"No! We can't wait! Elize might be here!" argued Alexis, running around and slamming doors open before moving onto the next room.

"Alexis, hold on! We don't even know if she's here!" said Bastion.

"Then how would that explain the boat? Along with her disappearance?! She could be dueling Camula right now and it would be my fault!"

"Alexis, those are probably coincidences!" protested Syrus, panting as they continued chasing after her. "There's no way...that...she'll..."

The group came to a halt when they arrived at the main hall room, where Elize and Camula were still dueling. Camula was perfectly alright with two strong Monsters on her field, but Elize was worse as she had a field disadvantage and she appeared to be injured.

"I'll end...my turn," gasped Elize.

"My turn, then! There's no point in activating Genesis Crisis right now," said Camula. "But, I can still destroy your facedown Mirror Force with my Mystical Space Typhoon! And now, I shall deal you Effect Damage! I activate my Trap, Secret Blast! Now, you take 300 Points of Damage for each card you control! I see you have 2, so you take 600 Points of Damage!"

Before she could do anything, Elize screamed painfully once the explosions dropped on her, sending her to crash onto the wall before falling flat facedown.

 **Elize - 2000 LP**

 **Camula - 2600 LP**

"Elize!" Alexis rushed to help her, but the others held her back, not wanting her to be hurt in the Shadow Game.

"I shall end my turn from here," said Camula before getting too overconfident in herself. "Well, since you've survived this long, I suppose I should tell you a secret about myself."

"Wha...what...do you mean?" panted Elize, struggling to stand up while clinging onto her arm.

"These precious bats of mine...they were spying on each and every one of your friends! Crowler, Zane, even you, little one! How else did you think I would come prepared with the knowledge of each and every one of your weaknesses?"

"What? She spied on us?!" exclaimed Chazz.

"That would certainly explain a lot," admitted Bastion.

"Hey! That's not fair! She's been cheating the whole time, then!" shouted Jaden, raising his fist.

"No...way...Then you're saying I had no chance of winning from the beginning?" questioned Elize, stunned.

"Of course! I just wanted to raise up your hopes before crashing it all down by myself! And what pleasure and fun that sure was, toying around with you!" crackled Camula.

"I...I was...I did my best...and now...even with defense...I...I..." Elize was stammering on, unable to form some words properly as she was still in a state of shock from what was revealed to her along with her injuries.

"Hey! Hey! Red hat girl! Hey!" shouted Chazz, calling her by her nickname. "Snap out of it and get back to the duel! You can't give up this easily! Just beat this vampire lady already!"

"I...I..." Sniffling, Elize looked down, tears dripping from her face as she was unable to face the others. "I don't think I can...Chazz..."

"Wha? Quit bullshitting me and just get on with it! Beat her already!"

"Hey, cut it out!" argued Jaden. "She's in a difficult situation! Maybe you could stop yelling and maybe cheer her on?"

"I AM cheering her on!" Chazz argued back.

"I..." Continuing to cry, Elize tried wiping her tears away, but they just kept on raining down. "Ugh...You were right, both of you! Chazz and Alexis! I should have listened to you! I really am not good enough for this! I was just stupid to try dueling Camula, and I am just a crybaby! It's just like Chazz said, I am useless and I've always been such a drag!"

Everyone glared at Chazz, having heard those words. Chazz noticed everyone staring at him with looks of annoyance, anger, and disappointment, and deep down, even Chazz felt bad because he couldn't hide the truth that he did indeed say those words.

"Even now, I can't do a single thing! I'm worthless! I'm...I'm just a normal girl who can't do anything, and I'll always be like that!"

"STOP IT!" yelled Alexis, stepping forward with her fists clenched before her face softened. "You want to know why I was against your plan? Elize, the reason why I said that...it wasn't meant to discourage you or say that you weren't good enough! I was just concerned for you, and I didn't want anything to happen to one of my best friends, one who's the sweetest girl I know!"

"H-huh? You really mean that?" asked Elize, looking at her, surprised. "I'm...considering as one of your best friends?"

"Of course! But, you can't stop here! You have to push past your limits, and win this thing!"

Bastion and Jaden both jabbed Chazz in the sides, glancing at him to say something. Chazz, grunting in pain, got the message and walked up. "Hey! You better not give up! Otherwise, you won't be able to duel me anymore, got that? Okay, so I was acting like a little jerk, but I didn't mean all I meant! I just said that to toughen you up, alright? So take that toughness I gave to you and beat up Camula with it!"

"Chazz..." Now confident in her friends, Elize nodded and turned to Camula. "Okay, I'm ready, Miss Camula! I'm sorry for the wait!"

"Oh, don't mind me. I have all the time in the world to listen to your pathetic cheering from your friends."

"They're not pathetic!" shouted Elize. "I'll prove to you that they're helping me win this duel! I draw! Now, I activate Fusion Recovery! I add a Polymerization and a Fusion-Material Monster from my Graveyard to my hand! And that Monster is Hiita the Fire Charmer! Now I activate Polymerization and fuse both Hiita and Aussa the Earth Charmer from my hand!"

"Yeah! Here comes one of Elize's best Monsters!" exclaimed Jaden.

"Tempered mage of fiery powers! Caster of knowledgable earths! Forge your powers together to blast through your enemies! I Fusion Summon Lavonne the Lava Charmer!"

The Fusion Monster appearing and having an attitude just like Hiita, dropped onto the air in front of Elize with an exciting grin on her face as she twirled her naginata around, posing in a battle stance.

Lavonne the Lava Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2500/1700)

"Now, by discarding my entire hand, and sacrificing Life Points equal to Lavonne's Defense Points, I destroy all cards on the field except for her!"

"What?!" exclaimed Camula.

 **Elize - 500 LP**

 **Camula - 2600 LP**

Using her magic, Lavonne spurted out balls of lava and targeted all of the cards on the field besides her, burning them all to crisps, leaving the field void but herself.

"But on the turn I activate this effect, Lavonne can't attack," said Elize. "I'll end my turn from there."

"Elize just turned the tides around!" said Syrus. "She can win this!"

"That's assuming Camula doesn't go and summon another powerful Monster like Vampire Genesis again," said Bastion.

"My turn!" yelled Camula before gritting her teeth. _'Damn it all to hell! I don't have a single card that can help me! All that's left are high-leveled Monsters!'_

"Heh, from the look on Camula's face, I think she's getting what's coming to her," said Chazz, smirking.

"...I shall end my turn."

"My turn, draw!" said Elize, rushing to end this. "I equip Book of Secret Arts to Lavonne, giving her Attack and Defense Points 300 extra!"

Lavonne the Lava Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2800/2000)

"How dare you?! You...You foolish mortal girl!" yelled Camula, losing her cool since she's about to lose. "If you think I'm going to let you win, you're wrong! GHAAAAA!"

Lunging forward at such fast speeds, Camula leapt towards Elize while opening her mouth; her fangs sharpened. Elize cried out, "AAAAHHH! Lavonne!"

Knowing this was her command to attack directly, Lavonne waited for the right timing and thrusted her naginata forward, stabbing Camula in the stomach and stopping her movements. As Camula stared wide-eyed and her mouth gaped opened, Lavonne activated her fire powers, transferring it towards the blade. Camula screeched loudly as she was being burned alive, shocking everyone.

 **Elize - 500 LP**

 **Camula - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

Camula continued screaming as she was frailing around, causing the Zane doll from her dress pocket to slide out and plop to the ground softly. At that moment, Illusion Gates opened to claim the soul sacrifice, which so happened to be Camula's. Once her soul was sent inside Illusion Gate, the fires on her body burnt to ashes and faded away right before Lavonne disappeared after serving her role of protecting her master.

Elize collapsed to her knees, exhausted and still frightened from Camula's approach. In the meantime, the Zane doll transformed back into Zane's original body, causing everyone to rush over and check to see if he was alright. But, if Zane was able to turn back from a doll...

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Elize's dorm room..._

"Where am I?!" screeched Crowler, finding himself in what appears to be a girl's room, seeing some girly things on a desk here and there. Unlocking the door, Crowler walked out of the dorm, stomping outside.

* * *

The castle began rumbling and trembling like an earthquake occuring, causing everyone to look up as Alexis and Bastion helped carry Zane. "Elize, hurry up!" shouted Jaden, running up the stairs and reaching his hand out for her.

Elize, having snapped out of it, stood up and grabbed onto Jaden's hand before he began dragging her away right as the others started making a break for it. They managed to make it outside right as the castle walls collapsed until there was nothing left, not even one trace of them as the darkened clouds dispersed from the morning sunlight.

"At last, the nightmare is finally over," said Alexis as Jaden glanced at the Shadow Charm choker Camula had on before. He managed to grab it before they all escaped the castle in time, so the Shadow Charm might help them out sometime.

"Not yet, Alexis," said Jaden. "Because from what I've can tell, more Shadow Riders are on their way."

Elize was just tired and relieved that everything was over; that Camula would never bother them again. Jaden and Bastion pushed Chazz forward towards Elize, wanting him to apologize.

Chazz already got the message...again and sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Hey...I'm...sorry about before. That was really stupid of me to say that."

"It's okay, really. It was my fault to begin with," said Elize, slightly touching the cheek she was slapped with, which was also the spot where the claw wound was. "Ow!"

"You okay?" Alexis asked softly, wiping some blood off her wound with her handkerchief. "Here, let's go get you to the infirmary, okay?"

"Okay..."

* * *

 **Finished! Here's the new Charmer!**

 **Shandra the Sand Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1000)**

 **Any "Hiita" Monster + Any "Wynn" Monster**

 **This card can also be treated as a FIRE Attribute. Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed in battle. If this card is destroyed by a Monster effect, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the amount of Attack Points of the Monster.**


	17. Sibiling Rivalry

**Hi, guys! Welcome to the new year of 2017! Ready for a new chapter? Here goes!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Aaaah! I can't take it anymore!" yelled Chazz; his complaining being overheard throughout all of the Slifer Red Dorm. "The Chazz shouldn't live like a Slifer Red! I used to be an Obelisk Blue! Jacuzzi tubs, turndown service, a week of renovation, and this place still isn't livable!"

Anyone placed in Chazz's current situation couldn't honestly blame the teen for complaining. The Slifer Red Dorm wasn't very popular, and each room definitely had a limited amount of space, especially with Chazz. His room contained a single huge bed while his belongings were still unpacked in several boxes littered all across the floor and some were even outside of his room. Having tried to unpack, Chazz found that only a few of his stuff could properly be unpacked while the rest couldn't.

Popping out of his own card from out of Chazz's deck, Ojama Yellow landed right on Chazz's bed, having heard his complaints. _ **"Hey, Boss! You sound stressed!"**_ Bouncing off the bed, Ojama Yellow floated up towards Chazz's shoulder. _**"Oh, yeah! Just look at all this pressure building up!"**_

To top the cheery on top, an annoyance known as Ojama Yellow just _had_ to further ruin the mood for Chazz. "You!" he yelled, glaring at the small Duel Spirit. "If you wanna be helpful, _get lost!"_

 _ **"WAAAAAAHHHH!"**_ Chazz's rude remark was enough for Ojama Yellow to burst into tears...and fly around as Chazz proceed to try swatting him like a flat.

"And, if you wanna see pressure-!" **SMACK!** Smashing both his palms together, Chazz managed to hit Ojama Yellow, and although he knew that the Duel Spirit wasn't exactly gone, he was gone for now. "Ah...Finally! Some peace and quiet!"

"E-excuse us, Chazz!" called out Elize politely as she, Jaden, and Syrus stood in front of Chazz's open entrance.

"Aaah!" Letting out a cry of surprise, Chazz realized the trio were in front of his room as he turned to glance at them. "Ever hear of knocking?!"

"I-I'm sorry!" apologized Elize, hiding behind Jaden.

"Hey, don't yell at Elize!" pouted Jaden with his hands on his hips.

"And besides," said Syrus, who was about to answer Chazz's previous question. "We were, but your door's...over there."

Syrus pointed to the unbolted door which was laying against the wall near Chazz's open entrance. Chazz, being dumbfounded, had forgotten that he was the one who unscrewed the door in order to allow more space in his room and to make it easier to get out and in. The embarrassed expression Chazz wore caused Syrus and Jaden to laugh at his own misfortune.

Embarrassment turned into annoyance, Chazz growled and twitched. "Not funny."

"Yeah, I guess not," Jaden had to agree, looking around his room. "So, let's go for fun!"

Knowing exactly what his best friend was about to do, Syrus grinned and both boys took off their shoes and socks before leaping onto Chazz's huge bed, jumping up and down and having a blast while Chazz was forced along as well.

"Hey, hey! Get off my bed! It's not a trampoline!"

"U-Um...I don't think it's really nice to barge in Chazz's room like that!" called Elize, trying to get her voice across towards Jaden and Syrus. But alas, either her message didn't pull through, or the two Slifer boys were having the time of their life to care. Sighing, Elize knew that it would probably come to this anyways. "Well, could you at least tell him about Chancellor Sheppard?"

"Oh, right! Hey, Chazz! By the way-!"

"The Chancellor-!"

"Wants to see you-!"

Forgetting all about his frustration at the two bouncing on his bed momentarily, Chazz took the words into his mind. "Sheppard?! What for?"

"Oh, just something about the fate of Duel Academy!"

Elize sweatdropped, knowing that the two would be going at it for a while. It took her some time to get used to Jaden's carefree antics, so naturally, she would guess it would be a while before Jaden and Syrus calm themselves before they all escort Chazz to the Chancellor's Office. Until then, she was going inside and sit on Chazz's couch properly, waiting patiently like anyone would.

* * *

 _Later, at the Chancellor's Office..._

By the time it took them to reach the Chancellor's Office, Sheppard was questioning their late arrival, as Jaden, Syrus, and Chazz had somewhat clumsy appearances. Their disheleved hair and untempt clothing along with their flustered faces would lead to some...questioning theories, but that wasn't the problem now. The point was that Sheppard was glad that his three students delivered Chazz like he asked.

"I have some urgent news, Chazz," announced Sheppard.

"Finally! My new bed arrive?" questioned Chazz. He liked his bed, but pink wasn't exactly his forte, plus it was too big. He perfer one not too big or small, and one with black in its natural color.

"Cool! What do you say we go jump around on it?' wondered Jaden excitedly.

"This isn't about your living arrangements," replied Banner, who was in the Chancellor's Officer, sitting on the couch with Pharaoh on his lap.

"Yeah? Then, what?" Chazz asked. If he was being summoned upon by Sheppard, then this must not be any joking matter.

"Well...Someone is trying to...buy out the Duel Academy. And this 'someone' plans to get rid of all the teachers and students and shut this place down forever!" Sheppard explained, getting straight to the point, though a bit hesitant.

"Shut it down?" gasped Chazz, surprised. What idiot would want to shut down such a talented academy for dueling? One that's the most famous in the country, possibly the entire world?

"Why?!" Jaden also questioned, not finding anything wrong with Duel Academy.

"Without us, they can control the entire Dueling World," answered Sheppard grimly. "Fortunately, our owner has given us a sporting chance."

"It comes down to one duel," Banner spoke up.

"Let me! I'll beat this guy!" shouted Jaden, determined to stop the ones responsible for this whole mess.

"No! The duelist has already been chosen." Sheppard revealed, shaking his head. If he could, he would have chosen Jaden or Zane right on the spot, but sadly, it wasn't his call.

"Well, who's it going to be?"

"Is...Is it Chazz, by any chance? Is that why you asked for him?" asked Elize, speaking up for the first time since their conversation started. Sheppard nodded, causing Jaden and Syrus to gape at the new info before turning to the chosen duelist himself.

"For some reason, they specifically asked for him," said Banner as the phone receiver continued ringing. Walking up to it, Banner pressed a button before turning to the Chancellor. "I believe this is them now."

"On screen," Sheppard ordered.

"Yes."

The monitor above the phone receive fizzled with static for a few seconds before two familiar smug-looking faces appeared. Imagine everyone's shock when they discovered it was Chazz's two older brothers, Slade and Jagger Princeton.

"Whoa! It's Chazz's brothers?!" Syrus gasped as the two Princeton brothers smirked. It seemed they had everyone's attention fully on them, especially with their younger brother in the same room.

"That figures," Jaden muttered, crossing his arms. He truly disliked Chazz's brothers ever since he was treated unfairly and cruelly by them just for losing a duel against them.

"Lousy scrubs!" Chazz didn't even hesitate to insult his brothers. "What are you up to?!"

 **"Come on, Chazz! Don't you know?"** started Slade. **"Jagger?"**

 **"Same thing,"** the eldest brother replied before both brothers spoke in unison.

 **"Complete world domination!"**

 **"Remember? It was our little family project."**

"Heh! _Your_ project, maybe!" scoffed Chazz, having no such interest in his brothers' plans anymore.

 **"Yeah, well it pretty much has to be, huh Chazz?"** grumbled Slade, still unpleased from Chazz's loss.

 **"That's right! Because you couldn't pull your weight!"** Jagger accused. **"You couldn't conquer the world of Duel Monsters like we planned, so now we're just going to have to do it for you!"**

"What, so I'm dueling both of you? In a Battle Royale?" asked Chazz.

"You can take them easy, Chazz!" Syrus encouraged.

"Yeah, I mean, both brothers are just amateurs!" said Jaden, knowing full well that while they talk big, they couldn't have possibly be more skilled than Chazz. "You guys have better rethink your business strategy! This one stinks!"

 **"No, it doesn't! Because there are a few conditions!"** Slade explained, pulling up a huge briefcase full of rare and powerful trading cards. **"First, we get to use all these rare cards! The same rare cards we gave you to use in the school duel! Of course, you refused to use them! And you lost!"**

Elize decided to stay quiet in all of this, seeing as she's got nothing to do with Chazz's affairs, yet wanted to stand up for him. Like everyone else, she didn't really like his brothers, especially how they treated him after his loss with Jaden. And now they're trying to buy out Duel Academy and are forcing their younger brother to duel. At the very least, Chazz dueled with his own cards, but his brothers didn't need to point that out in a mean way.

 **"Oh, and another thing! During our duel, you're only allowed to duel with Monsters with less than 500 Attack Points!"**

"What the-?!" exclaimed Chazz, gritting his teeth. So, that's his brothers' game! They're trying to turn the tables on him and taking every advantage they can get! And he can't refuse because otherwise, Duel Academy is doomed.

"500?! This is a joke, right?!" protested Jaden. "Say no, Chazz!"

 **"It's too late! It's already been decided by Seto Kaiba himself!"** informed Slade with a sinister smirk. **"But, there is a bit of a good side for you, Chazz. Only a little, though. We decided that since we two brothers are going up against you, we're going to make this a Tag Team Duel!"**

"Lemme guess, you already decided on who my partner will be?" questioned Chazz, not even surprised anymore.

 **"Now, now! We're going to make the conditions a bit fair for you, Chazz. Since you are going to lose anyways. We decided to let you choose your own partner. It can be anyone, but they still have to uphold the same deck rule we told you. They still have to have 500 or less Attack Point Monsters in their deck!"**

"Well, on the bright side, at least Chazz will have someone to back him up!" said Syrus.

"Yeah, but this isn't fair!" cried out Jaden before Sheppard nodded in agreement, being forced to agree as well. If there was a bit of a slight chance they could win, no matter how small, they would take it.

 **"No, it's not! But then, that's the point!"** Slade taunted before he and Jagger burst into laughter, imagining their win over Chazz right before the monitor went dark.

"Guess we should go pack up," said Chazz before turning away and leaving.

"Chazz! Hold up! You can win this!" Jaden said, stopping the black-haired teen in his tracks.

"For real!" agreed Syrus.

"You're wrong! There's no way I can!" Chazz said before going out through the door. "Duel Academy is finished!"

Watching him leave, Elize's lips quivered as she clasped her hands together, wondering if there was something she could do. She didn't want Duel Academy to shut down...but, maybe if she could lend him her cards for a while, he might be able to win!

* * *

 _Later..._

"Can you believe it?"

"Ugh! This is terrible!"

"There's Chazz!"

"This whole mess is totally his fault!"

"I heard he's already accepted defeat!"

"Of course he has! He probably wants his brothers to win!"

"We should have never let him back here!"

"Yeah, totally!"

"Well, you know what I think? I think you're all dead wrong!" shouted Jaden amidst the crowd of students talking poorly of Chazz as Elize walked up behind him, walking him curiously. "I know Chazz can win this duel! Because I've dueled him myself!"

"T-that's right!" sputtered Elize, also trying to defend Chazz. "I'm sure Chazz doesn't want this, either! I mean, this whole mess is his brothers' fault! I'm sure Chazz doesn't want Duel Academy to shut down, either!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Jaden agreed with her before turning to the crowd. "He's really tough! And duelists don't come much tougher!"

"Yeah, I know! That's exactly the problem, Jaden!" shouted Chazz, still finding it hard to believe he can win this with such a huge disadvantage. He might as well be throwing in the towel now!

"What's that mean?!"

"Honestly, Chazz! You're not making any sense!" sighed Bastion as he and Alexis approached them.

"Bastion's right!" Alexis said. 'Being tough is usually a good thing, Chazz."

"In my book, at least."

Chazz sighed, scratching the side of his head out of frustration. "Look, it-!"

"It's about Chazz being too tough. Specifically, his deck," Zane interrupted, explaining the situation as specific as he could be. "It's about Chazz unable to duel."

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Syrus, still confused by his brother's words.

"What I mean, Syrus, is that his deck isn't built for Monsters with 500 Attack Points."

"Wait..." Recalling Chazz's Monsters in their last duel, Jaden slowly began to realize the reality of Chazz's situation. "So then..."

Chazz nodded, hating the predicament he was in. "My cards are too _powerful_. Because of that condition my bros set up, my deck is useless."

"Well, there must be at least some Monsters with few Attack Points. Those that are often have useful effects," pointed out Elize. "At least, I know my cards do."

"All I've got left...is him." Baring a disgusted look, Chazz fished out Ojama Yellow from his black coat. Even everyone else was disgusted by Ojama Yellow's appearance, but the main important was how much Attack Points he had, which was 0.

"What?! Just him?! You can't make a deck with one card!" exclaimed Jaden, knowing it was going to take more than that to beat the Princeton brothers.

Taking her own deck out, Elize presented her six Charmer cards to Chazz, each containing 500 Attack Points. "H-here, Chazz...You can borrow my cards for the duel."

"Pah! Why would I? Even if I did, I still don't have enough!" With that said, Chazz knocked her cards out of her hand, causing Elize to panic before kneeling down to collect them.

"Hey! You didn't have to be so mean!" shouted Jaden, standing in front of Elize to protect her as Alexis and Syrus kneeled down to help her.

"Oh, shut it! My deck is useless unless I get some more Monsters with the right conditions! And I don't know where to find any!"

"I may know a way," Banner called out, causing everyone to turn their attention to the cat-loving teacher, who was sitting on the stairs, petting Pharaoh. "This is but a rumor. But, given the circumstances, it may be worth investigating. Now, supposedly, my students...Deep in the woods, there's a very old well. And, within this well, there lies a great many cards. You see, they were discarded by duelists who thought they were too weak to ever use in their decks. Of course, the spirits of all those cards are quite angry with being left behind."

"Oh yeah? Well, the Chazz thinks that they're gonna be perking up real soon! 'Cause I'm gonna find that well and enlist some new Monsters for my deck!" He announced, causing the students to cheer for his bravery and determination.

* * *

 _In the forest..._

Chazz sighed, shaking his head to himself as he proceeded to venture deeper in the forest after about an hour or so of exploring. He knew a certain girl was following him because of the numerous familiar shrieks and cries she produced whenever she tripped or hid behind rustling bushes.

Unable to hold it, he turned and shouted, "Hey! How long are you gonna follow me?!"

"Eep!" Startled, Elize tripped over a tree root and fell facedown. "Ow...How did you know I was-"

"Following me? Some guy would have to be an _idiot_ if they didn't notice you following them!" said Chazz before recalling Jaden and his idiocy. "...On second thought, Jaden might be that idiot. So, why are you following me anyways?"

"I...wanted to see the well...and I wanted to help you in your duel! That's all!"

"Tch. I already told you I didn't need your Charmer cards! No thanks!"

"No, no! It's not that!" assured Elize. "I already could tell you didn't need them! ...From how you kinda knocked them from my hand...They weren't too happy about that..."

"Pfft! As if I care!" scoffed Chazz, crossing his arms.

 _ **"HEY!"**_ yelled Hiita, pointing her weapon at Chazz. _**"You're lucky that I can't physically harm you, and the fact that I'm busy right now! Otherwise, I would have BURN you to death not only because you insulted us Charmers, but you also hurt Elize! I can never forgive that!"**_

"H-Hiita! It's okay! Why don't you go back to Magic Class?" assured Elize before Hiita scoffed and vanished.

"...Two seconds since I met her and I already hate her," said Chazz before reverting towards a different direction.

"C-Chazz! I'm sure she didn't mean-Well, I can't lie. She probably did mean that. But, let's just continue on to the well, okay?"

"Please! Like Banner said, it's probably just a rumor!"

Suddenly, a ghost-like Duel Spirit popped from underneath the dirt and joined in the fray of other ghostly Duel Spirits roaming around the air in a circular motion.

"They're scary..." said Elize, whimpering as she hid behind Chazz.

"Please, they're harmless!" said Chazz. "Look!"

Just as he spoke those words, two of the Duel Spirits flew down and past Elize and Chazz's bodies, yet no physical harm came towards them.

"Oh! Nothing happened!" Elize said, patting her body to check for injuries or anything unusual.

"Of course not!" said Chazz. "Remember, they're weak spirits! Kinda like the annoying roommate I got crashed in my deck!"

After a long time had passed, the two of them eventually discovered the well and used a rope ladder near the well to climb down. The depths of the well was dark, so the sunlight from above was the only thing that was their own source of a flashlight.

"Look at all these poor cards," Elize commented, feeling bad for the Duel Spirits. "I can even feel their sorrow...I feel so bad..."

Bending down, Chazz examined through some of the cards. "Look at these. They seem more than enough to build a weak deck."

Two Duel Monsters, having noticed the two humans, leapt out of their Monster cards to confront them. _**"In case you thuckleheads haven't noticed, this is private property!"**_ The black Duel Spirit pointed out.

 ** _"Yeah! Let's tell them!"_** said the green Duel Spirit.

 _ **"Numbskulls like you ditched us, so we don't want ya here!"**_ The black Duel Spirit continued while the green Duel Spirit chuckled creepily in agreement.

"These two...are a few cards short of a deck," spoke Chazz awkwardly.

 _ **"Hey!"**_ the black Duel Spirit shouted, offended. _**"Who are you calling short?!"**_

 _ **"Yeah!"**_ the green Duel Spirit agreed along with his partner.

"N-Now now...I'm sure Chazz didn't mean anything rude," said Elize, trying to calm them down.

However, Chazz's next statement didn't make anything better. "Look, we didn't leave ya here, but somebody did! 'Cause you're weak!"

 _ **"IT'S TRUE!"**_ the black Duel Spirit sobbed while his green companion burst into tears. Both of them hugged each other in order to comfort one another, thus making the other weaker Duel Spirits sob loudly as well.

Both Elize and Chazz covered their ears, trying to block out all of the sobbing and whining. "Jeez! Give it a rest!" yelled Chazz. "I'm sorry, okay?!"

"W-we're both sorry!" Elize supported.

 ** _"Nobody wants us, do they?!"_** sobbed the black Duel Spirit.

"T-that's not true!" assured Elize.

Ojama Yellow, having popped out of his card since he heard a strange commotion, leapt onto Chazz's head. _**"What's the racket? Wait...Black? Green? Is that you?"**_

Ceasing their crying spree, both Ojama Black and Green spotted Ojama Yellow before their tears of sorrow turned into tears of joy. _**"Our lost brother! Ojama Yellow!"**_

 _ **"My brothers!"**_ Happy to be reunited with them, Ojama Yellow leapt into their open arms before he was spun around over and over by the two of them out of joy and happiness.

 _ **"Welcome back, bro!"**_

"Well...at least they're happy and reunited," added in Elize, glad to see that everyone's settled down.

"Tch...their family's a dysfunctional one," muttered Chazz before standing up. "I'm going."

"Wait, why? We just got here!"

 _ **"Boss...isn't a fan of Duel Spirits,"**_ Ojama Yellow told his brothers out loud. _**"He might...um...decide to leave the two of you here."**_

 _ **"Leave us?! Who does he think he is?!"**_ demanded Ojama Black before glancing at the taller human. _**"Look at me when I'm talking to ya!"**_

 _ **"I'd do what he says! He gets violent!"**_ advised Ojama Green.

"Come on, Chazz! We've come this far! At least let's take them!" requested Elize. "I'll even help carry the cards if you want."

 _ **"Yeah! What she said! You're taking us!"**_ agreed both Ojama Green and Black before more Duel Spirits joined the conversation, wishing to leave as well.

"Chazz...?" Elize shifted attention from the Duel Spirits to Chazz. Well, even if he says no, she'll take them instead. She couldn't leave the poor, helpless Duel Spirits here anyways.

Chazz sighed. "Fine! Whoever wants to can come with me!"

Elize felt relieved as the rest of the Duel Spirits inside of the well exploded into cheering as they were finally going to be freed at long last.

"But there's one condition!"

 _ **"Lots of hugs and kisses? Coming up!"**_ shouted the Ojama brothers as they pounced on Chazz, who freaked out and started trying to whack them out of the way.

Giggling, Elize scooped up some of the cuter Duel Spirits in her arms and cuddled them. They seemed to enjoy that as they embraced her back, loving her warmth.

* * *

 _A few nights later..._

"Why not put this card in your deck? He's pretty tough," suggested Elize, holding up Spirit Reaper in her hand.

Taking the card from her, Chazz read the effects. "Hmm...Yeah, I guess. Knowing my brothers, they're more like the type to send out powerful Monsters to attack with."

For the past few nights, Elize has been helping Chazz arrange his deck for his upcoming duel tommorow by suggesting cards and handing them over to him. Of course, she was mindful of the 500 Attack Point or less Monster condition.

"Looks like I've got all 40 cards," said Chazz, having counted all of them.

"Okay!" said Elize, picking up Marshmallon. "Can I...?"

"Go ahead."

"Yay! Thank you, Chazz!" Placing the new card onto a new deck she was also creating, Elize shuffled through them, counting each one. "Huh. I got 40 cards too. Wasn't expecting that."

"Yeah...hey, Red Hat Girl," spoke up Chazz. "Think I can ask you something?"

 _ **"Is it a date?"**_ teased Ojama Yellow before he was smacked down by an annoyed Chazz.

"Shut it."

"Um...what is it, Chazz?" asked Elize, curious.

"...There was an additional condition my brothers had, which was that I had to have a Tag Team partner."

"Oh...Oh! We didn't even find one, did we? We should hurry! The duel's tommorow!"

"Yeah, well, the thing is...I was hoping you'd be my Tag Team partner for tommorow," said Chazz. "Don't get the wrong idea! This doesn't make us friends or anything! I just need someone to fufill the other condition, that's all!"

"Oh...But, shouldn't you ask someone like Jaden or Zane?" wondered Elize. "I'm weak compared to the two of them! And Jaden won against you, but he lost against Zane, so-"

"Don't remind me," growled Chazz, unpleased with how the result from their last duel went. "But yeah...there's not enough time, and you already got your deck ready, so why not? And if anyone asks, tell them you asked me, and me, the generous Chazz, decided to take pity on you and let you duel alongside with me, got it?"

Elize didn't care if he was being rude to her at the second. She was just happy to be chosen, even if she felt a bit discouraged. "O-Okay! Don't worry, Chazz! I'll provide support for both of us during the duel! Goodnight!"

With that said, she picked up her new deck and ran out of his room, leaving Chazz with his Duel Spirits.

 _ **"You liiiiike her!"**_ the Ojama brothers spoke in unison.

"As if! She's way too young for me anyways!" shouted Chazz, attempting to punch the Duel Spirits as they floated around the room.

 _ **"I don't like him,"**_ Hiita said, referring to Chazz as she was watching Elize sleep. On her shoulder was Fox Fire, her familiar, who was cuddling close to her neck as his soft tail wrapped around her.

 _ **"You don't have to like him, but I'm just glad that I'm with my cute Gigobyte again!"**_ Eria squealed, holding her water familiar, Gigobyte, in her arms.

 _ **"Besides, Chazz might need all the help he can get if he wants to win the duel tommorow,"**_ pointed out Aussa as her earth familiar, Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness, flew around her head.

 _ **"If he doesn't, Elize will be sad if Duel Academy shuts down, and it's our duty to make sure she's all happy and cheerful!~"**_ giggled Lyna, playing around with Happy Lover, her LIGHT-Attribute familiar.

 _ **"Hmm..."**_ agreed Dharc, nodding his head alongside his dark familiar, Meda Bat.

 _ **"For now, the humans need a good night's sleep, and so do we,"**_ suggested Wynn, scratching Petit Dragon's chin with her soft fingers before she and the rest of the Charmers vanished back into Elize's deck.

* * *

 _The next day..._

 **"Ladies and gentlemen! Today's match determines the fate of Duel Academy! Slade and Jagger Princeton vs Chazz Princeton and Elize Simington! Now, are you ready to duel?!"**

The audience cheered for Chazz and Elize just as the four duelists were preparing themselves for the fated duel. Of course, their friends were all on the sideslines just like the rest of the crowd, watching carefully. Who would have guessed Chazz's partner would be Elize? Neither of them did, but still, this was going to be one interesting match.

"If you wanna back out now, tell us now," warned Slade, who was eagered to knock Chazz in his place.

"Does this answer your question?" challenged Chazz, placing his deck in his duel disk.

"Ha! Bring it!"

"Let's show him what we've got, Slade!" said Jagger.

"Chazz! I'll provide support and as much defense as I can!" promised Elize.

"I know! I'm counting on you!" Chazz said as their duel disks activated.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Chazz and Elize - 8000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Slade and Jagger - 8000 LP**

"It's go time! Check this out! Ha!" said Chazz, drawing his card. "I summon Soul Tiger in Defense Mode!"

Soul Tiger - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (0/2100)

"With that Attack Point handicap Chazz has on him, I bet we'll hear that a lot," commented Alexis.

"Hey, with Defense Points like that, that just might be a good thing!" said Jaden.

"You're up, 'bro!'" taunted Chazz, ending his turn.

"Thank you! And I'll activate Polymerization!" said Slade after drawing his card. "I fuse Lord of Dragons with Divine Dragon Ragnorak! With these, I now Fusion Summon King Dragun!"

A dragon master with half of his body absorbed and merged with a dragon's body emerged much more powerful than before.

King Dragun - (DARK/Dragon/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1100)

"And check out his special ability! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Dragon-Type from my hand! And I choose Luster Dragon #2!"

Luster Dragon #2 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV6 - (2400/1400)

"Two Monsters with 2400 Attack Points?!" cried out Jaden, shocked of how quickly the situation turned sour for both Chazz and Elize.

"I'll end my turn for now, seeing as none of us can attack on our first turns. Count yourself lucky, Chazz!"

"Hmph! We'll just see!" said Chazz, his arms crossed.

"My turn! Draw!" said Elize, glancing at her hand. "I'll set a Monster facedown in Defense Mode and a card facedown before ending my turn!"

"That facedown must have some higher than average Defense Points," said Bastion. "After all, Elize does play Monsters with high Defense Points."

"Yeah, maybe Chazz was right in picking her as his partner," said Alexis. "I've dueled Elize myself a couple of times, and I can tell she has a stall deck. She's not an offensive type, but defensive is her best forte."

"Still, you can't win with defense alone," said Zane. "But, in this situation, and given the circumstances, defense is probably the only offense Chazz and Elize can provide."

"Then, how are they going to win?" wondered Syrus.

"Hmm...it is quite possible that they may be planning to discard cards from their opponents' decks," pointed out Bastion. "After all, once you have no more cards in your deck, your opponent wins. That's one way to win."

"We'll just have to see how this plays out," said Jaden.

"That's all? Feh, too easy!" commented Jagger as he drew his card. "I summon Alexandrite Dragon from my hand in Attack Mode!"

Alexandrite Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV4 - (2000/100)

"I'll end my turn from there."

"My move!" said Chazz. "I summon Spirit of the Breeze in Defense Mode!"

Spirit of the Breeze - (WIND/Fairy) - LV3 - (0/1800)

"That's all for now!"

"My turn!" Slade said. "I summon Luster Dragon in Attack Mode!"

Luster Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV4 - (1900/1600)

"And Dragun's Special Summon ability allows me to Special Summon another Dragon-Type from my hand! Hyozanryu!"

Hyozanryu - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV7 - (2100/2800)

"Four Monsters?!" exclaimed Chazz, noting how the gigantic Dragons were staring down at him.

"Congratulations, you can add!" insulted Slade. "But tell me, how's your subtraction? Give Chazz a lesson, Dragun-"

"Not so fast!" shouted Elize. "I activate the Trap card, Half or Nothing! This Trap card gives you a decision, Mr. Slade! You can halve the Attack Points of all the Monsters you control until the end of the Battle Phase, or you can end the Battle Phase right now! It's your choice."

"Hmph! That's obvious!" scoffed Slade. "I'll halve all of my Monsters' Attack Points!"

Luster Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV4 - (950/1600)

Hyozanryu - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV7 - (1050/2800)

King Dragun - (DARK/Dragon/Fusion) - LV7 - (1200/1100)

Luster Dragon #2 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV6 - (1200/1400)

"You do realize that your Monsters are weaker than my Monsters' Defense Points, right?" pointed out Chazz.

"Oh, but that's until the end of my Battle Phase, right?" reminded Slade before turning to Elize. "I'll be targeting her Monster, then! King Dragun, destroy her Monster!"

King Dragun unleased a beam from his dragon arm as it opened its jaws to release the power within right as Elize's set Monster flipped over to reveal as Wynn the Wind Charmer.

Wynn twirled her staff around to create a tornado barrier, effectively deflecting the beam from King Dragun and managing to keep herself safe.

Wynn the Wind Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 **Chazz and Elize - 8000 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 7700 LP**

"Oh, good going!" Jagger yelled at Slade. "Because of you, we lost some Points!"

"Hey, it was only a little! Gimme a break!" argued back Slade. "I'll get them next time!"

"Um...excuse me!" called out Elize. "I activate Wynn's Flip effect! While she's face-up on the field, I can now control of 1 WIND Attribute Monster you control! I choose Luster Dragon #2, since he's a WIND Attribute Monster!"

"What?! Not him!" shouted Slade.

Wynn raised her arms and staff into the air, having cast a spell right before it took effect on Luster Dragon #2. He flew over to Elize's side, now being her ally before Elize placed a palm on his head and gently stroked him.

"Awesome! Nice move, Elize!" cheered Jaden.

"Yeah! Now, she's got a strong Dragon-Type on her side!" said Syrus.

"...Not bad, I guess," Chazz muttered, giving a curt nod of approval.

"Really?!" gasped Elize, excited to receive a compliment from him.

"Hey! The duel's not done! Focus, Red Hat Girl!"

"Yeep! Sorry!"

"Great, now they've got a really strong Monster on their side!" yelled Jagger. "And we can't do a damn thing about it!"

"Yeah, and remember, you only said we couldn't summon any Monsters with more than 500 Attack Points!" reminded Chazz. "We just stole one of your strongest Monsters, so that doesn't count!"

"Grrr! Fine!" said Slade as he ended his Battle Phase. "I still have a lot of Dragon-Types anyways! I end my turn!"

"And because you ended your Battle Phase, the Attack Points of your Monsters return to normal!" said Elize.

Luster Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV4 - (1900/1600)

Hyozanryu - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV7 - (2100/2800)

King Dragun - (DARK/Dragon/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1100)

Luster Dragon #2 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV6 - (2400/1400)

"My turn, draw!" Elize said.

"Red Hat, better make this turn count!" warned Chazz.

Elize nodded. "First, I'll activate Dian Keto the Cure Master! Our Life Points increase by 1000!"

 **Chazz and Elize - 9000 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 7700 LP**

"And now, I'll use Luster Dragon #2 to attack! Please, finish off King Dragun!"

"What?!" the three Princeton brothers exclaimed as both Dragon-Types clashed off against each other, finishing the other off with a final breath attack.

"With that, I end my turn!"

"What was that?!" Chazz yelled at Elize, surprising her. "Why'd you take out both Dragons?! Now our only offense is gone!"

"I-I'm sorry, but King Dragun was a huge threat! I mean, he could Special Summon Dragon-Types! I thought it would be best if I took him out..."

"She's not wrong there," admitted Zane. "I'd probably do the same if I was in her situation."

"Why? Then you'd have no strong Monster left," said Syrus.

"Syrus, Attack Points aren't the only thing that wins a duel. It's also using your head and combos that also help triumph over a duel. My guess is that she didn't have any cards to help boost up Luster Dragon #2, otherwise she would have done so and still kept the Dragon. Well, even if she did, she wouldn't have kept the Dragon-Type for long."

"Why's that?" asked Jaden.

"It's Jagger's turn now," informed Zane. "And he has a Dragon with 2000 Attack Points. The only reason Elize was able to keep the Dragon was because of Wynn's Flip effect, but that only lasts until she's out of the field. If Jagger attacks with his Alexandrite Dragon and successfully destroys Wynn, then Luster Dragon #2 returns to Slade's side of the field."

"Whoa...as expected from a skilled duelist like yourself, Zane."

"Now then...I'm going to summon another Dragon-Type!" shouted Jagger. "Dodger Dragon in Attack Mode!"

Dodger Dragon - (WIND/Dragon) - LV4 - (1900/1200)

"Now, Dodger Dragon, attack Wynn the Wind Charmer! And Alexandrite Dragon, attack Spirit of the Breeze!"

Both dragons obeyed their master's commands as they swooped down towards their targets from above. Dodger Dragon blasted Wynn with a twister breath while Alexandrite Dragon slashed his sharp claws down upon Spirit of the Breeze; both dragons taking out their targets at the same time.

"I'll end my turn from there!" said Jagger.

"About time for my move!" said Chazz. "I play Catnipped Kitty in Defense Mode!"

Catnipped Kitty - (EARTH/Beast) - LV2 - (0/500)

"A cat?" questioned Slade.

"You could do better?! I end my turn!"

"Gladly!" said Slade, drawing his card. "Grr...! This card is useless! You know what, fine! I sacrifice Luster Dragon to bring out Chthonian Emperor Dragon!"

Chthonian Emperor Dragon - (FIRE/Dragon/Gemini) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"Then, I activate Double Summon, meaning I get to Normal Summon twice! I Normal Summon Chthonian Emperor Dragon in order to gain his effect! He's now an Effect Monster, and his special effect allows him to attack twice each Battle Phase! But first, Chthonian Emperor Dragon and Hyozanryu, attack Chazz's remaining forces, now!"

It didn't take long for the two powerful dragons to destroy Chazz's last lines of defense, thus leaving both him and Elize completely vulnerable to any direct attacks.

"And don't think I'm done yet! I'll activate Chthonian Emperor Dragon's effect to attack twice!"

Chthonian Emperor Dragon raised his claw and swung downwards, slashing at Elize and Chazz. Both screamed from the shockwave of the attack and flew back, crashing onto their backs.

 **Chazz and Elize - 6600 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 7700 LP**

"I suppose that's enough damage for now. I'll end my turn."

"Great, now Chazz and Elize are both at a disadvantage once again!" said Bastion. "This is extremely bad for them!"

Elize was the first to stumble back onto her feet while Chazz struggled to get back up. "My...turn..." she panted, drawing her card. "...Chazz? Are you okay?"

"Hey, don't worry about me! Don't you dare give up!" shouted Chazz, standing up straight. "This isn't over until I say it's over! And I'll never say it!"

Nodding, Elize turned back to the card she just drew. "...I activate Double Spell. All I have to do is discard a Spell card from my hand, and I get to select 1 Spell card from my opponent's Graveyard and use it as if it were my own. I choose Polymerization from Mr. Slade's Graveyard!"

"Polymerization?!" exclaimed Jaden as the crowd gasped. "She can't do that!"

"Yeah!" agreed Alexis. "If she summons a Monster with more than 500 Attack Points, it's over! They'll automatically be disqualified!"

"I fuse both Lyna the Light Charmer and Dharc the Dark Charmer from my hand," announced Elize, revealing the two Spellcaster-Types from her hand.

"Are you nuts?!" yelled Slade. "Fine, go ahead! Fusion Summon for all I care! But the moment your Monster comes out, it's all over for you, Chazz, and the entirety of Duel Academy!"

The Duel Arena filled with tension as the two Charmers merged together, combining their powers together before a new entity flew onto the stage with black wings on their back. This female entity had short hair as black as darkness, a white sailor hat, a white overcoat with black clothes underneath, and she seemed to be wielding both a black tome and staff as her weapons.

Llywelyn the Lumen Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (500/2000)

"...Well, fine! But your Monster's still weaker than ours!" said Slade.

"Llywelyn, attack Chthonian Emperor Dragon!" ordered Elize.

"What?! No, call back the attack!" shouted Chazz.

"Chazz, it's okay! Trust me!"

Llywelyn opened her tome and raised her staff into the sky, allowing magic circles of darkness to emerge before her and fire spears of light at Chthonian Emperor Dragon. At first, it didn't seem like it had any effect, but then energy began being absorbed from the dragon and onto Llywelyn.

"Llywelyn's effect activates!" Elize called out. "She isn't destroyed in battle, and the difference between her Attack Points and the dragon's Attack Points are halved differently! The difference is 1900! Half of that is 950, so you lose 950, and we gain 950 because of Llywelyn's effect!"

 **Chazz and Elize - 7550 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 6750 LP**

"Nice! They now have a winning chance now!" shouted Bastion.

"Yeah, thanks to Elize's new Fusion Monster!" said Jaden. "Go, Elize and Chazz!"

"...Nice, I guess," commented Chazz.

"Just great...!" grumbled Jagger, not realizing how tough of a challenge this was going to be now that Chazz's partner has a new threat on her side.

"I'll end my turn with a facedown! That's all!" announced Elize.

"My turn!" shouted Jagger. "Damn! I'll end my turn!"

"Then it's my go!" said Chazz. "I'll set a Monster facedown and I'll activate the Continuous Spell, the Dark Door! And as long as this door's open for business, we can only attack with one Monster during each of our Battle Phases! I'll end my turn for now!"

"Nice try, bro! But it's only a matter of time before I bust that door down!" said Slade, drawing his card. "I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Elize. "Attack please, Llywelyn! Attack Chthonian Emperor Dragon! And her effect will apply again! You lose 950 Life Points and we gain 950 Life Points!"

 **Chazz and Elize - 8700 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 5750 LP**

"Damnit!" cursed Slade.

"I won't let you hurt us anymore!" declared Elize. "As long as Llywelyn is on our side of the field, I can attack, defend, and heal at the same time! There's no way you're getting past our defense!"

"She's right. Right now, Chazz and Elize are the ones with the higher advantage now," admitted Bastion.

"My turn!" said Jagger. "Damn, useless card! I end my turn!"

"My go, then!" Chazz said. "I set another Monster facedown before I end my turn!"

"Finally, my turn!" said Slade. "Oh yes...I activate Monster Reborn to bring back King Dragun!"

King Dragun - (DARK/Dragon/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1100)

"Great, that guy's back!" groaned Jaden.

"Oh, and guess what? I activate Harpie's Feather Duster and I'll destroy all your Traps and Spells!"

A small whirlwind gathered wind enough to transform into a large tornado, blowing away any Spells and Traps Elize and Chazz had on their sides of the field.

"Oh no! Now The Dark Door is gone!" cried out Syrus.

"It's okay! Elize still has her Fusion Monster!" assured Alexis.

"Now I'll activate another special Spell card," announced Slade. "Raigeki! That means all your Monsters are destroyed! Each one!"

"Oh no! Llywelyn can't be destroyed in battle, but that doesn't apply to card effects!" cried out Elize.

Both Chazz's set Monster and Llywelyn were struck by lightning, causing the two to screech in pain before they burst into particles of light.

"And don't think my turn's done yet!" reminded Slade. "King Dragun, attack that girl directly!"

Elize covered her face with her arms as King Dragun fired beams from his dragonic arm, causing smoke to explode around at her feet.

 **Chazz and Elize - 6300 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 5750 LP**

"Chthonian Emperor Dragon, attack her as well! Twice as hard!"

Chthonian released two flaming orbs of fire from his mouth, all contacting Elize as she was thrown and tossed back by the explosion, thus falling to her back.

 **Chazz and Elize - 1500 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 5750 LP**

"Elize!" cried out Alexis as she rose to her feet, seeing how badly hurt the girl was.

"Hey! Quit it!" Chazz rushed to Elize, kneeling down besides her as she tried to sit up at least. He glared at his brothers and shouted, "Why not go after me?! I can understand myself, but she had nothing to do with this!"

"She made us lose a lot of Life Points! And that's way too many Life Points. We're just venting out some of our anger out on her!" explained Slade with a sadistic smirk. "Don't worry, your turn's next. For now, I'll end my turn."

Panting, Elize stood up to draw her card as Chazz watched her carefully, making sure she doesn't fall or anything of the sort. "My turn...I set a Monster facedown, ending my turn..."

"Then it's my turn!" said Jagger. "I attack your facedown Monster with Alexandrite Dragon!"

Alexandrite Dragon flew upwards and then landed onto Elize's Monster, attempting to stomp and crush it when he was thrown back by some invisible force as the set Monster revealed to be Marshmallon.

Marshmallon - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV3 - (300/500)

"Marshamallon's effect...activates," panted Elize. "He's not destroyed in battle, and because he was facedown when you attacked him, you take 1000 Points of Damage."

 **Chazz and Elize - 1500 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 4750 LP**

"Fine! I end my turn! But eventually, one of us will destroy that pathetic excuse for a Monster!" declared Jagger.

"My turn, ha!" said Chazz, determined to end this on his own terms. "I play Painful Choice! I know you're a little slow, so I'll use small words! I pick five cards from my deck, then you choose one of the cards, and that card is added to my hand! So, what are you waiting for? Pick!"

"How scary? Five weak cards from one weak deck! Whatever will I do?" insulted Slade as Chazz revealed his five cards. "I'll pick the one card that's not a Monster. Thunder Crash!"

"Thank you! I was hoping you'd pick that one!"

"You were?!"

"But more about that later! For now, I play Enchanting Fitting Room!" said Chazz. "I pay 800 Life Points and get to look at 4 cards! And, if any of them are Level 3 or below Monsters, I can summon them! Let's see...Pot of Greed obviously isn't a Monster, but the three Ojama brothers are!"

Ojama Yellow - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Green - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Black - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

"You are kidding!" scoffed Slade. "You mean to tell us that you plan to pin your hopes of saving the academy with these three twerps?"

"That's right!" said Chazz. "And you're about to see why!"

The Ojama trio turned around, glad to see Chazz had summoned them. _**"Hey, Boss!"**_

"Sure, they look funny! They smell real bad, nobody even likes them, and they never shut up!" complained Chazz, irritated just by looking at the trio, thus angering them as well. "But these guys taught me something important! That good bros support each other!"

"So, we're not good brothers?" questioned Slade.

"And after all we've done for you," mocked Jagger.

"I..." Elize was back on her feet, now ready to support Chazz. "I don't think brothers are supposed to make their brothers sad! Good brothers are supposed to make their younger brothers happy! Just like how Big Sis makes me happy! Even if she isn't always there for me because she's busy with work!"

"Yeah, that's right!" agreed Chazz before turning towards his brothers. "And that's why I don't feel bad doing this! I activate a Spell card, Ojama Delta Hurricane! Now, do your thing, boys!"

The Ojama brothers joined arms together and twirled around rapidly faster, surrounding all of the Monsters Slade and Jagger had on their field before they exploded, thus destroying each and every last Dragon-Type.

"Nooo! What happened?!" exclaimed Jagger.

"Here, let me explain things," said Chazz. "When the Ojama brothers are on the field, Ojama Delta Hurricane automatically destroys every single card you guys control! And now, I activate Thunder Crash!"

 _ **"Guys, what's Thunder Crash do?"**_ wondered Ojama Yellow.

 _ **"Don't ask me! I left my reading guide back at the well!"**_ said Ojama Green.

 _ **"It seems..."**_ started Ojama Black. _**"Chazz deals 300 Points of Damage for every Monster on his field that he decides to destroy..."**_

 _ **"..."**_

 _ **"..."**_

 _ **"...OH NO!"**_

"Sorry, see ya! Wouldn't want to be ya!" said Chazz, not even expressing any signs of regret or apology towards them. "Go, Thunder Crash!"

Having sacrificed the three Ojama brothers, Chazz's Spell rained down lightning bolts onto Slade and Jagger, damaging their Life Points.

 **Chazz and Elize - 1500 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 3850 LP**

"That doesn't mean a thing, got that?!" growled Slade, frustrated. "Your decks are just full of weaklings, and ours are full of rare Monsters just raring to tear you apart!"

"I don't think so! Thanks to all of the Monster resting in the Graveyard me and my partner are sharing!" said Chazz. "I summon Chaos Necromancer in Attack Mode!"

Chaos Necromancer - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (0/0)

"Sure, he starts out weak, but he gains 300 Attack Points for each Monster resting in our Graveyard! So, combining all Monsters in our Graveyards, there are 16 in total! His Attack Points are 4800! How's that for weak?!"

The Duel Spirits of all the Monsters in the Graveyard sprang back to life as green flames as they surrounded Chaos Necromancer, energizing him.

Chaos Necromancer - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (4800/0)

"No, hold on!" cried out Jagger.

"Now, Chaos Necromancer! Attack with Curtain Call Catapult! You. Go. Bye-Bye!"

With one final strike from all of the vengeful Monster Spirits, Chaos Necromancer granted their wishes in the form of a huge, green fireball which knocked back both Princeton brothers.

 **Chazz and Elize - 1500 LP**

 **Slade and Jagger - 0 LP**

 **Winners: Chazz and Elize**

"Chazz and Elize did it!"

"Yeah! They saved the school!"

"Way to go!"

The entire school cheered and roared out the victors' names, raising their fists and applauding happily at Duel Academy's victory as the duel came to a close.

"Wait!" Chazz declared, causing the cheering to half. "You know the cheer! Chazz! It! Up!"

"Of course!"

"Chazz it up!"

"Chazz it up!"

"Chazz it up!"

Elize giggled and clapped for Chazz; a bit shy to be chanting his name. She didn't mind if Chazz got all of the credit. All she cared for was the fact that they won and that Duel Academy was safe.

"How could we lose?!" grumbled Jagger.

"Relax, Jagger!" said Slade, who was just as upset as his brother. "It was only one duel."

"One duel?! Just listen to them! This 'one duel' has turned Chazz into a hero! And a major headache for us!"

* * *

 _That night..._

"Come on...!" complained Elize, looking from the glass window of the vending machine near the Slifer Red Dorm. Like the dorm, the vending machine was an old, worn down machine whose crane moved slow, yet the products were just as good as the products sold near the other Dorms.

The item she wanted finally fell, but it was stuck with another food produce, causing Elize to groan. She wanted to drink some strawberry milk from the vending machine, but the vending machine was being unfair again. Looks like she'll have to go find Professor Banner again.

Just then, Chazz, who had been taking a walk, noticed Elize near the vending machine. He realized the small trouble Elize was in and sighed. He walked up, whistling to himself before kicking the vending machine as hard as he could. The strawberry milk stuck to the food product came down and landed onto the ground, causing Elize to pick it up.

"Oh! Thanks, Chazz!" thanked Elize, bowing her head at him.

"Tch...I didn't do it for you! You were just in the way, that's all! I wanted a drink from the vending machine myself!" said Chazz.

"Hmm?" Tilting her head to the side, Elize asked, "But...you said you hated it."

"I didn't say that!"

"You always complain about it every morning at breakfast. You threaten to break it apart before lots of times."

"...Ugh, screw this. I'm gonna head to bed. See ya, Red Hat Girl." Dodging the conversation, Chazz turned around and climbed up the stairs to reach for his bedroom.

Shrugging, Elize took the straw out and popped it onto the hole of the strawberry milk, sipping on it as she headed to her room as well.

* * *

 **Llywelyn** **the Lumen Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (500/2000)**

 **1 "Dharc" Monster + 1 "Lyna" Monster**

 **This card's Attribute is also treated as DARK. Cannot be destroyed in battle. During battle calculation between this Monster and another Monster, the difference between Attack Points differs into two effects.**

 **Your opponent receives half of the damage of the difference between Attack Points.**

 **You receive Life Points equal to half of the damage of the difference between Attack Points.**

 **When this card destroys a Monster in battle, it is also destroyed.**

 **Hi, guys! My winter break's almost over for me! Hopefully, you guys enjoyed your Christmas break just as much as I did! Llywelyn is similar to Bloom Diva and Yubel, except she can actually be destroyed by card effects. Well, see ya!**


	18. Duel Distractions

**Hey guys, new chapter coming up!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 _ **"Awww! Elize is always so cute when she's sleeping!~"**_ giggled Eria, watching her female master sleeping peacefully as her small body was covered in the bedsheets. _**"Isn't right, Gigobyte?"**_

 _ **"Yes, Eri!"**_ agreed the small Reptile-Type, jumping up and down childishly.

Since it was early in the morning, the sun has just recently rose up in the sky with not even a single trace of any clouds nearby. Because it was early, it was a little cold and windy outside, but perfect for a jog. The skies were still light shades of orange, red, and yellow merged together, but slowly, they began to disperse into a bright color of blue.

 _ **"Kinda feels like we're stalking her,"**_ said Fire Sorceress; her arms crossed.

 ** _"We're just looking out for our own mistress. Nothing wrong with that,"_** stated White Magician Pikeru sweetly.

 _ **"C-Come on! We should go...We shouldn't disrupt Elize's sleep anymore,"**_ Wynn suggested. _**"Especialy what she's going through..."**_

Life at Duel Academy wasn't always easy for the young red hat girl. Sure she has friends to hang out with, but there was always work to be done along with the whole Shadow Riders situation. Camula was already a challenging foe, but there was six more Shadow Riders left and they all needed to be prepared, especially since there are only 5 Spirit Key Keepers left.

 **KNOCK! KNOCK!** "Elize! Please answer the door! It's me, Bastion!" spoke up a voice from behind Elize's dorm room door. She was always told to lock it unless someone came to visit; this reason being enhanced the first and last time Jaden barged in while Elize was getting dressed. With that note, it didn't end pretty for Jaden.

Elize groaned and stirred in her sleep, opening her eyes a little before using all of her strength to grab her alarm clock. _'What's Bastion doing...? I've got like an hour to wake up...I know it's rude to ignore him, but if he thinks I'm asleep, maybe he'll go away...'_

Bastion sighed, left with no other choice as he activated his duel disk. Elize was just as much of a heavy sleeper as Jaden is, so while he didn't wish for this outcome, he knew it was necessary. Summoning Barrel Dragon to his side, Bastion stood back and covered his ears.

"Okay...NOW FIRE!"

 **BOOM!** All it took was one shot from Barrel Dragon for Elize to fall out of bed, startled. She groaned as she got herself tangled with the bedsheets a bit. Her feet had some movement as she groggily walked towards the door, trying to untangle herself.

Hiita quickly bypassed the wall, given that she is a Duel Spirit, and flew up to Barrel Dragon. _**"HEY! What's the big idea, firing off your cannons like that?! You woke up my master, you moron!"**_

 _ **"It was an order from my own owner as well,"**_ Barrel Dragon tried defending himself.

Elize unlocked and opened the door, rubbing her eyes as she held the bedsheets close to her. "Yes, Bastion? Good morning..."

"Good morning! Now, it's time for some training!" encouraged Bastion.

"Training...?"

"Yes! If we want to get stronger in dueling, we just need to train, isn't that correct?"

"Well, yeah...But-"

"Great! I'll see you in ten minutes! Syrus, Jaden, and Chumley are down at the bottom of the cliffs, training vigorously as well! If you don't come, I'll use another Monster to wake you up! I'll see you then!" With that said, Bastion walked away, humming a tune to himself.

 _ **"The nerve of that guy! Threatening our master!"**_ growled Ebon Magician Curran.

"It's fine...I think some training will be good anyways," Elize assured. "Besides, I can always take a nap later..."

Several minutes passed before Elize dressed herself and arrived at the bottom of the cliffs where Bastion along with her three other Slifer Red friends were. Except for Bastion, nobody seemed too thrilled in partaking in the training Bastion set up.

"One, two, draw! One, two, draw! One, two, draw! One, two, draw!"

Their training involved drawing until they reached no cards left in their deck slot, which they then had to shuffle the cards they drew and restart the process all over again. According to Bastion, this was to enhance the physical body for drawing despite it being such a basic thing to learn. The Slifer Reds were the ones who wished to go back to bed, but thanks to Bastion, that no longer seemed like an option.

"Yeah...this was worth getting up for," grumbled Jaden.

"Quiet...you'll make me lose count," Syrus muttered, who was just as tired as Jaden was.

Chumley saw one of the cards Syrus held in his hand, specifically the one he just drew, before lightly grasping the blue-haired boy's wrist for a closer look. "What the-? Is that Thunder Nyan Nyan?"

"Yeah it is! I got her a while ago!" replied Syrus, blushing as he stared proudly and happily at the female Monster. "I kinda got a bit of a card crush on her!"

"Card crush...that's so lame, Syrus!" teased Chumley, revealing his own special card, which happened to be Dian Keto the Cure Master. While the card itself was a Spell card, the cover revealed a much older woman. "Check out mine!"

"Y-yeah...She's um...real pretty, Chum." In all honesty, Syrus didn't know and was a bit disgusted by the woman's older appearance, but he didn't want to admit that out loud, so he decided to go along with Chumley.

"Totally reminds me of my girlfriend back at home! Her name's Sally! No, wait, Adriana!"

"Hey, Jaden! Do you have any card crushes hidden away in your dueling deck?" Syrus asked, curious to know what his best friend liked since they were getting into the topic of card crushes.

"You better believe it! They bring loads of luck!" laughed Jaden before turning to Elize with a mischevious expression. "And what about you, Elly? Any special card crushes you've got? Don't worry! I won't judge!"

"..." Syrus crossed his fingers, praying that Elize didn't have a crush on anyone since he had a bit of a crush on her. Oh no, wouldn't that mean he'd be two timing since he has a card crush?

"H-huh?! A card crush?! Y-You mean like a male Duel Monster?" wondered Elize, blushing red. "N-No way! Dharc already has Lyna, and Maha Vailo is way too older for me and...and..."

"Aww! I'm sure anyone would like a cute girl like you," complimented Jaden, taking off her hat and ruffling her head. "You silly little gooberhead."

"BEG YOUR PARDON?!" Bastion yelled, interrupting the groups' conversation after just noticing their lack of training. "But I thought we were training here! And training does not mean standing around and talking like birds!"

"Eep! We're sorry!" apologized Elize, snatching back her hat and continuing to draw.

"Did he just say 'birds?'" Syrus wondered, confused.

"You know what? I'm thinking that Bastion doesn't have a card crush," Chumley muttered, though he was rather loud enough for Bastion to hear.

"A crush on a card? Of course not!" Bastion scoffed, merely mocking at the pointless logic. "That's just plain irrational, illogical, ridiculous!" Speaking of card crushes, he was reminded of the White Magician Pikeru card he had stored in one of his decks before shaking her head and getting his head back in gear. "Look, let's just continue training, alright?"

"Sure, but I do have plans to play with Thunder Nyan Nyan soon!" said Syrus.

"WHAT?!" Bastion hollered, enough to cause Syrus, Chumley and Elize to crash to the ground due to the impact of his booming voice. "You'll be breaking that date! And you'll soon be breaking a sweat! Now, back to our duel training!"

Sweatdropping and not wishing to anger Bastion even further, the four relentlessly gave in before continuing their drawing exercises.

* * *

 _Later, in class..._

 _'Awww! That's adorable!'_ Alexis thought, smiling as she watched Jaden taking off his Slifer Red jacket and placing it over Elize's head and shoulders like it was a hoodie.

Elize was laying her head on the table, lightly snoring away since she was forced to wake up early because of Bastion. Due to the weather being cold and windy, Elize was extremely cold even with her own Slifer Red jacket on, so Jaden decided to do a bit of a favor and provide his own jacket for more comfort and warmth. He was just like a big brother looking after his little sister.

On Banner's part, he examined the rest of the classroom with a frown, concerned about the lack of students. Sure, there were several students attending, but it seems a large majority were absent, and it was quite abnormal. In fact, this has been happening for the past few days now.

"There certainly are a lot of absences today," spoke up Banner, stroking Pharaoh softly. "Hmm...Must be a bug going around."

Also having noticed the amount of students attending along with Banner's guess, Bastion couldn't help but be suspicious. _'None that I've ever heard of. There's definitely something strange in the air! Well, besides all of that snoring.'_

By that, he was referring to the four Slifer Reds; Syrus, Jaden, Elize, and Chumley. All four of them were snoring and sleeping in class once again, though Bastion had a bit of a part this time since he did force them to wake up quite early.

Entering into the classroom from another entrance, a female staff member walked towards Banner, holding a duffle with a worried look on her face.

"May I help you?" Banner asked, having noticed the woman.

"Well...do you recognize this bag?" the woman whispered to Banner. It must be very serious and concerning if they were muttering among each other.

"Yes. It's one of my students. Why?"

 _ **"Elize, wake up!"**_ called out Witch of the Black Forest, one of Elize's Duel Spirits, as she shook her female master's shoulder.

"Ngh...? Witchie...?" Elize mumbled, calling out one of her Monsters by their nicknames.

 _ **"You fell asleep in class again. But Hiita and the others explained the reasoning this time to me. You're lucky I wasn't Maha Vailo."**_

Elize sweatdropped, now fully awake. Last time Maha Vailo had to wake her up, he glared at her with one of his deadly, piercing stares. Anyone would feel uncomfortable and uneased after that, and it even caused Hiita, the most troublesome and hot tempered of the Charmers, to shapen up when she was glared at before. It was a dangerous warning that nobody wanted to mess with Maha Vailo.

"T-thanks for waking me up, at least," Elize thanked Witch of the Black Forest, bowing her head at her a little. Witch of the Black Forest also bowed before disappearing back to the Duel Spirit World, which by that time, was when Elize noticed the Slifer Red jacket on her head before turning to Jaden, who didn't have his on.

It didn't take much to put the pieces together as Elize's face flared up. After all, a boy did just voluntarily put his jacket over her to keep her warm. Deciding to repay the favor, Elize placed his jacket back on his shoulders before taking her notebook out. Luckily, class has just started a few minutes ago, so she might be able to jot down notes from the things written on the board.

* * *

 _That afternoon, once all classes were finished..._

Under Banner's request, Chazz, Jaden, Chumley, Elize, Bastion, Alexis, Syrus, and even Banner himself with Pharaoh traveled around one of the many forests around Duel Academy. After hearing about some missing students along with one of the missing students' bag found somewhere in the forest, the students started their investigation on what could have occurred.

"I wonder why that pack was left all the way here," said Jaden, being the one to carry the duffle bag.

"Indeed, and Jaden, where it's owner is?" pondered Bastion, reminding Jaden that they had to search for the owner of the duffle bag. After all, it was a high chance the owner was one of the missing students.

"I hope that no one is hurt," said Banner, voicing his concern.

While crossing through the lush green forest and wandering around in several forest paths, the group started calling out for anyone availabe, hoping they might find a clue or hear something from one of the missing students. Unfortunately, no such thing came into luck, meaning they had to go through the hard part and search without any clues.

Their investigation eventually led them out of the forest and into a clearing, where in the middle of that clearing was quite the surprise. A large colossal stadium laid in place huge and wide for all to see.

"Where did this come from?" gasped Jaden.

"Professor Banner, is this part of Duel Academy or something?" asked Elize.

Banner shook his head. "No, none that I've heard of. I've never seen this stadium before in my life!"

"...I'm going in!" decided Bastion, making a break to get inside.

"Wait up!" said Syrus before he and the others decided to follow after the Ra Yellow, intending on entering as well.

"Aww! More running!" Chumley complained.

After entering inside, everyone took a moment to look around and take in their surroundings along with the fact that all of the missing students were here in one place, conducting some construction work as they were fixated on working on the stadium. They could tell they were the missing students because they recognized some of them from their classes and from their colored uniforms.

"CROWLER?!" exclaimed Chazz, shocked to see Crowler being among the students on construction duty.

"What are you doing?" called out Syrus.

Currently, Crowler was attempting to move a heavy solid block with a crowbar when he noticed the gang. "Oh! A man's work!"

"A man's work? My, they must have been running short on men!" commented Banner.

"Huh?" Upon looking around, Elize saw a fierce-looking tiger glaring at them, as if ready to pounce on them. "A-A tiger?!"

Turning around, Jaden also saw the tiger and shrieked, causing the others to notice the dangerous tiger as well before it began running towards them. This, in turn, caused everyone to run for it as they sought for any kind of safety to get away from the beast.

As they were running, Banner cried out, "First a coliseum, then a tiger! What next, a gladiator?"

"Actually, she prefers the term, 'Amazon!'" corrected Crowler, head-over-heels for the so-called Amazon.

"AMAZON?!" Banner shouted as he and his students were clinging onto a stone pillar, having successfully gotten away from the tiger as it was attempting to reach out and claw at them, only to fail miserably.

"That's right!" spoke up a beautiful, muscled woman, who seems to be the Amazon Crowler mentioned. "And thanks to your friends, my glorious arena is now finished!"

"Arena for what?" wondered Jaden. To his surprise, the woman shot up and somersaulted a few times before landing perfectly on her feet and then standing up straight like a professional gymnast.

"Dueling!" the woman answered, stroking her tiger's fur. Seeing her arena in pure perfection, she whistled using two fingers, causing the missing students and Crowler to line up in a straight line. The woman held a bunch of envelopes, which appeared to be the rewards for each student.

"Job well done! I had no idea that Duel Academy could make such fine laborers! Now as promised, here's your payment! Some rare cards! Well-deserved, I might add! Until next time!~"

Once the students received their envelopes, they left the arena with satisfied looks on their faces as they opened up their rewards. At least they were happy with the cards they were given.

"Hey! What is going on?" Jaden called out as the others were climbing down the pillar. Seeing that the tiger was right next to the Amazon and perfectly tamed, it seemed safe to come on down.

"What does it look like? I'm setting the stage, Key Keeper. For your vanquishing," replied the Amazon smoothly before smirking darkly. "I'm one of the Seven Shadow Riders. Tania!"

That brought everyone's attention as they now focused on the new threat before that. Well, an extra threat if they included the tiger that tried to eat them alive. But more importantly, they just finished off the first Shadow Rider, and it took three Key Keepers to finish off Camula. The Amazon must be even stronger than Camula, so who knows how strong the Amazon is? They mustn't let their guard down no matter what.

"And now that the battle ground has been established, it's time to do battle!" the Amazon continued. "Now then, which one of you big, strong men will it be? After all, I would never harm a sister!"

"Hey, don't do me any favors!" said Alexis, feeling offended and angry.

"Whew...at least she's not going after any of us girls," sighed Elize. She definitely never wanted to go through another dangerous Shadow Game like the last time. Her life was put in danger and nearly taken away, so she never wished for that experience again.

"So, which of you males will it be?" questioned Tania. "Who's my man?"

"Right here!" said Jaden, stepping forward.

"Yours truly!" shouted Chazz, all riled up.

"I'll take you!" declared Bastion, determined.

With all three strong duelists lining up, the Amazon had a bit of a tough choice. Sure, they were strong and attractive, but there can only be one. She could always request a Battle Royale, but she wants to make this a fair one-on-one.

"Hmm...If this is really the best you have to offer...Then I suppose I'll pick...you!" Making her decision, Tania pointed to Bastion, who wore a proud expression on his face after being chosen.

"Well, can't duel them all," sighed Jaden, sounding disappointed as he and Chazz stood back on the sidelines like everyone else.

"What is your name?" Tania asked Bastion once the two of them stood their ground, preparing for a duel.

"Bastion! Bastion Misawa!" the Ra Yellow genius spoke firmly and without hesitation in his voice.

"Mmm...!" Now things were getting interesting for the Amazon. The boy in front of her was not only attractive, but sharp and serious, just like she loved in a man.

"Go get her, Basion!" cheered Jaden.

"Yeah! Don't go easy on her just because she's a girl!" said Syrus.

"D-do your best!" Elize tried to encourage.

"Alright, let's do this! Only question is, which deck to choose?" Bastion said, unveiling his Ra Yellow jacket to reveal his six elemental decks.

"Really? I have the same problem myself," admitted Tania, holding up two decks. "I have two decks. One is of Knowledge. The other is of Courage. Why don't you go and decide which of the two I use?"

"Fine, then! I pick the deck of Knowledge!"

"Nice choice!" With her deck selected, Tania placed her deck of Knowledge inside her duel disk.

"Thank you!" Bastion took the compliment as he took out his EARTH Attribute deck. "But it's not nearly as nice as the choice that I'm making for myself! I select my EARTH deck!"

"Then, let us begin! And don't worry. This isn't a Shadow Game."

"Beg your pardon?"

"You heard me, Bastion! I don't want your soul!~ I want you, big boy!~" cooed Tania, feeling excited about the duel as Bastion was left startled. "It's like this! My tribe's all women! So, to marry, I have to shop around! So, let's do this!"

"F-fine!"

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Tania - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Bastion - 4000 LP**

"Alright, it's my turn!" declared Tania, making the first move. "And first, I'll summon the Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!"

Amazoness Swords Woman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"Then, I'll place one card facedown and end my turn!"

"I'm up!" shouted Bastion, drawing his card. "Ha! And I summon to the field Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus in Attack Mode!"

Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (1800/1500)

"And now, Magnet Warrior! Attack that Amazoness! Load Stone Baton Bash!"

Both Monsters charged at each other with Amazoness Swords Woman making the first move by swinging her blade. However, Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus blocked the blow with his rod before thrusting the electrical end of the rod at her stomach, defeating her. But this was a bit of a downside for Bastion's part.

 **Tania - 4000 LP**

 **Bastion - 3700 LP**

"Why'd Bastion lose Life Points?" wondered Syrus.

"Because of Amazoness Swords Woman's special ability," explained Tania. "Her opponent takes all Battle Damage that was dealt to her."

"He walked right into that one," Chumley said.

"Yeah! That's not like Bastion!" agreed Alexis, worried for the Ra Yellow.

"Nuh uh! It's JUST like Bastion! I mean, think about it!" supported Jaden. "He has fewer Life Points, but she has fewer Monsters! Smart move!"

Elize nodded. "Besides, I'm sure Bastion didn't know about Amazoness Swords Woman's effect."

"Yeah, you guys are right," said Alexis, thinking she must have jumped to conclusions too quickly.

"I play my facedown card!" Tania shouted. "Pride of Tribe! This Trap activates when an Amazoness is destroyed! Now I can Special Summon another Amazoness from my deck, and I choose Amazoness Swords Woman!"

Amazoness Swords Woman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"So, tell me; who here's the smart one now, hmm? You miscalculated on that last move! After all, we have the same amount of Monsters, but not the same amount of Life Points!~"

Knowing she ended that sentence with a sweet tone towards him, Bastion was taken aback before taking a deep breath and sighing. He composed himself and announced, "I'll play a card facedown, and that will suffice."

"Oh my! That will suffice?~ Say it again! It sounded so cool!" squealed Tania excitedly like a fangirl.

"You know," spoke up Syrus. "I'd say it's been a couple of years since Tania's interacted with a guy!"

"Couple years? Try decades, Sy! This lady is man crazy!" commented Jaden.

"I'm quite flattered!" admitted Bastion, taking in her compliments as his own. "But I'm well aware of what you're trying to do! You're trying to distract me! But I can tell you right now, my dear, it's simply not going to work! I'm too focused!"

"Oh, are you? We'll see!" declared Tania, suddenly getting all serious as she drew her card. "I play the Amazoness Blowpiper!"

Amazoness Blowpiper - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/1500)

"And I play my facedown Trap, Magnet Force Minus!" countered Bastion as his Trap shot out red electricity all over Amazoness Blowpiper. "When this card is activated, it can equip onto one Monster, then who it's equipped to gains a negative magnetism and becomes what's known as a Minus Monster! And from there, it gets interesting! See, two Minus Monsters? Well, I'm afraid they're not allowed to battle each other. But, a Minus and a Plus? They're out, so they must fight!"

Glancing at Amazoness Blowpiper, Tania recalled, "So, if Amazoness Blowpiper is a Minus Monster..."

"And Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus is a Plus Monster! So, it's on! You heard that old quote, 'Opposites attract?' Well, I'm afraid it's true!"

"I know it!" sighed Tania helplessly. "After all, just look at the two of us!"

"Oh, stop it!" groaned Bastion, annoyed by her lovestruck behavior once again.

"Stop it? Why don't I just stop you from winning this battle instead? I play the Spell card, Amazoness Spellcaster! Now one Amazoness Monster and one of your Monsters on the field exchange their Attack Points with each other!"

Amazoness Blowpiper - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1800/1500)

Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (800/1500)

"This is bad!" cried out Syrus, panicking. "Now Bastion's Monster is going to be outmatched!"

"Attack, Amazoness Blowpiper!" ordered Tania.

Amazoness Blowpiper, now powered up, released a minature drilling weapon from her blowpipe, which successfully landed a direct hit on Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus and destroyed him.

 **Tania - 4000 LP**

 **Bastion - 2700 LP**

"And now the Amazoness Swords Woman will attack you directly! Go, Amazoness Slash Attack!"

Responding to her master's command, Amazoness Swords Woman slashed at Bastion without any slight of hesitation, dealing more damage to him.

 **Tania - 4000 LP**

 **Bastion - 1200 LP**

"That was fun!~ I end my turn!" chuckled Tania, feeling vigorated from her two successful attacks. "And Amazoness Blowpiper regains her original Attack Points!"

Amazoness Blowpiper - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/1500)

Bastion swayed back and forth as he tried to regain consciousness of himself. He did suffer two blows so he wasn't exactly steady or thinking straight. "But...But how? That's two times that she's been able to out think me!"

"I guess we both know where our kids are going to get their smarts from!~" teased Tania.

"What?!" Flustered, Bastion shouted, "Our kids?! We are enemies! Rivals!"

"During this duel we are," spoke Tania seductively. "But afterwards, we'll be bethroned to each other! Just think about it! You'll be Mr. Tania the Amazon Woman!"

"Hey, doesn't she mean Mr. Misawa? I mean, usually, aren't the females supposed to change their last names?" questioned Elize curiously.

Alexis patted her on the head. "Don't worry. She's just being ridiculous."

"I am so not!" Tania overheard the girls and glared at their direction. "But then again...I don't mind changing my last name! Well, not that I had one to begin with! But having the last name of a dominate male just turns me on even further!"

Sighing, Bastion began to question what was happening. "You're relentless! Truly, are you that smitten with me?"

"I perfer in love!~"

"You hardly know me!"

"I know enough...my little sugar booger!"

Bastion was already irritated enough as it is, and her little nickname just added more to the plate. _'Keep your cool, Bastion!'_ he thought. _'She's just trying to distract you! Like how those silly card crushes distract Syrus and Chumley! But you've always been above that!'_

Just as he was trying to reassure himself, images of Thunder Nyan Nyan, Dian Keto the Cure Master, and White Magician Pikeru invaded his mind the more his mind unconsciously mentioned card crushes, causing the male to freak out.

"No! Get out! I'm above all this!" cried out Bastion, clutching both sides of his head.

"Is he okay?" wondered Elize as she and her friends sweatdropped.

"Bastion's sure acting weird," said Jaden.

"Love works in mysterious ways," Syrus said, thinking Tania must have gotten to him through her sweet words at long last.

"QUIET! I'm not in love!" denied Bastion, having heard them. At least his thoughts no longer were filled with card crushes at the moment. "My turn! I activate Magnet Conductor Plus! This allows me to bring a Plus Monster back from the Graveyard and to my hand! So, come on back, Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus! However, he won't be out for long because he and the Magnet Warrior Omega Minus are going right back to the Graveyard so I can Special Summon Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ±!"

A fully modeled and mechanized Monster formed from the two opposite Magnet Warriors appeared more powerfully.

Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ± - (EARTH/Machine) - LV7 - (2700/1300)

"And now I'll activate Warrior Linear Magnum ±'s special ability! It adds half the Attack Points of an opponent's Magnet Monster to Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ±'s Attack Points until the end of this turn!"

Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ± - (EARTH/Machine) - LV7 - (3100/1300)

"He's got her outmatched now!" shouted Jaden.

"Now, Warrior Magnum! Attack Amazoness Blowpiper!" commanded Bastion. "With Pulverizing Blast!"

Stored with a large sum of power, the new Machine-Type charged all of its power into one blast which was more than enough to annihilate Amazoness Blowpiper.

 **Tania - 1700 LP**

 **Bastion - 1200 LP**

"Next, I'll place two facedowns! And I think that'll do!" said Bastion, now back into his focused state.

"What a move!" gasped Tania excitedly. "No wonder I love you! And sweetie, because I do..." Her happy look instantly changed to a serious one once more as she drew her card. "I must beat you! And with Amazoness Swords Woman's special ability, where even if she loses in battle, you take damage! Now, Amazoness Swords Woman! Strike down Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ± with Amazoness Slash Attack!"

Seeing Amazoness Swords Woman leaping towards his Monster, Bastion knew he had to act fast. _'This is it! If I don't think fast, I'm going to lose fast!'_

"Sorry, but I play a facedown!" shouted Bastion. "The Quick-Play Spell, Power Off! Because of this Spell, I send Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ± to the Graveyard and bring back the two Monsters that originally formed him, Special Summoning them to the field!"

Just as Amazoness Swords Woman was about to lash out at his Monster and finish the duel despite her intended sacrifice, Conduction Warrior Linear Magnum ± split just in time, thus ending the attack and reviving the two Magnet Warriors.

Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (1800/1500)

Magnet Warrior Omega Minus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (1900/1600)

"Guess I'll just have to get you next turn," said Tania, impressed by Bastion's quick thinking. "I summon Amazoness Paladin to the field."

Amazoness Paladin - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1700/300)

"My Paladin gains an extra 100 Attack Point boost for every card with Amazoness in its name. There are two so far, so you do the math, smart guy."

Amazoness Paladin - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1900/300)

"Next, I'll place two cards facedown. And that'll do for now."

 _'Well, at least she's concentrating on her dueling instead of me,'_ thought Bastion, thinking he could take a breather for a change. "Alright, it's my move now!"

"Speaking of moves, sweetie!~" interrupted Tania with a loving expression on her face. "It's probably best if you move in with me. You know, after we get married? Oh, we'll just have the coziest home sweet home!~"

The way she moved and her speaking appeared somewhat cute in Bastion's eyes as he was slightly taken aback. But, he no longer thought of her as irritating and seemed to have shown a bit of interest towards the older, but attractive Amazon.

Noticing that she's gotten Bastion's attention, Tania giggled as a blush grew on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry, honey!~ Am I distracting you again with my talk about how much I love you?~ How positively handsome you are?~ Haha!~ There I go again!~"

Placing a hand over his beating heart, Bastion's eyes widen as his mind was consumed with thoughts of Tania and her loving affection towards him. Never in all of his life has he ever felt this warm feeling inside...and it felt so amazing...

"I guess that I simply can't help myself!" continued Tania before spreading her arms out and wide. "I'm head over heels!~"

"Yes...me too," agreed Bastion, completely infatuated with her at long last. As proof, a light pink blush could be visible on his cheeks as he no longer focused on the duel, but more on her.

"Bastion..."

"Tania..."

"Bastion..."

"Tania..."

"I don't get it," Elize said, scratching her head. "Why are they speaking each other's names like that? They know who they are. Or did they forget their names?"

"When you're older, Elize. When you're older," assured Alexis, petting her on the head.

"Yuck! Are there barf bags on this flight?" questioned Jaden, a bit digusted by the chemistry between Tania and Bastion. If it weren't for Tania and Bastion being enemies and dueling, Jaden would have been happy for one of his best pals.

"Oh man! Bastion's getting all flushed!" said Syrus. "...And all sidetracked!"

"Not good..."

"Alright, my turn!" said Bastion, getting his head back in the game. "First off, I summon Magnet Warrior Sigma Minus in Attack Mode!"

Magnet Warrior Sigma Minus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (1500/1800)

"Next, I'll play my facedown Trap! 100,000 Gauss! You see, I can activate this when I have a Plus Monster and a Minus Monster out on the field! It lets me switch one of your Monsters into Attack Mode and reduce that Monster's Attack Points by 800! I choose Amazoness Paladin!"

Amazoness Paladin - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1100/300)

"Alright, that's sweet!" cheered Jaden. "Now Bastion's got the Monsters and the matchup he needs! This duel is totally in the bag!"

"I activate my Trap, Dramatic Rescue!" Tania cried out. "It lets me return one of my Amazoness Monsters to my hand and then Special Summon a different one to the field! I return Paladin to my hand and Special Summon Amazoness Tiger!"

Amazoness Tiger - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (1100/1500)

"And don't try catching this tiger by the toe because she gains 400 extra Attack Points for each Amazoness on the field! There's two so far, and once again, I'll let you do the math!"

Amazoness Tiger - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (1900/1500)

"And when Tiger is out on the field, you're not allowed to attack any other Amazoness Monsters but Amazoness Tiger."

"So...there's no choice?" wondered Alexis. "He has to attack that tiger?"

"I'm sure Bastion will come up with something!" Elize said. "After all, he is the smartest one out of all of us!"

 _'Simple,'_ Bastion thought, already formulating a strategy for this sort of situation. _'I have three Magnet Warriors out! I'll use one to eliminate Amazoness Tiger, then the other to eliminate Amazoness Swords Woman. Then, I'll use the remaining one to attack Tania directly and win!'_

With the plan set in motion, Bastion shouted, "Fun duel, but I'm afraid it's about to be over! Go, Magnet Warrior Omega Minus! Attack and tame that Amazoness Tiger!"

Smirking, Tania spoke, "You must be distracted, otherwise you most certainly would have seen that I have a facedown out! My Trap card, Amazoness Archers! Sorry, hun, but now all of your Monsters are switched into Attack Mode and lose 600 Attack Points and also all forced to wage battle right this instance!"

Magnet Warrior Sigma Minus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (900/1800)

Magnet Warrior Sigma Plus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (1200/1500)

Magnet Warrior Omega Minus - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (1300/1600)

"But if they do that, they'll have to attack that tiger!" said Syrus, recalling the effect of Amazoness Tiger.

"And she has more Attack Points than any of them!" pointed out Jaden.

"He walked right into a talk!" Chazz said. "What was he thinking?!"

"That's just it!" Banner cried out. "With all that love talk, I doubt he was!"

Elize, taking in this new knowledge, decided to speak up. "Love can make you distracted? But...that wasn't the case for Blair."

"Eh...everyone's different, Elize. Take Bastion's example and don't follow him," sighed Alexis, knowing that Bastion was most likely going to lose. All because he fell in love with some girl.

When all three Magnet Warriors charged for a frontal assault towards Amazoness Tiger, all it took was a few swift strikes for the beast to take down the Rock-Types, eliminating them and the rest of Bastion's Life Points.

 **Tania - 1700 LP**

 **Bastion - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Tania**

Despite the explosion that occured thanks to the assault fiasco, Bastion managed to stay conscious to speak some final words before falling unconscious. "I'm...all yours..."

The moment he lost the duel, his Spirit Key vanished completely as the ground underneath rumbled a bit, indicating that a Spirit Gate was just now unlocked.

"Bastion!" Concerned for his unconscious friend, Jaden leaped down from the sidelines to run towards him.

"Kitty!" called out Tania, signaling for her pet tiger. Thanks to the vicious tiger, everyone but Bastion was forced to run away and retreat from the arena, thus leaving them outside the coliseum-like stadium. The moment they stepped outside, iron bars crashed down and sealed all of the entrances and exits.

"Oh no, Bastion!" Running up to the bars, Jaden tugged on them and attempted to call out for Tania or Bastion. "Hey!"

"Is Bastion going to be alright?" wondered Elize, worried.

"Ahaha! Sorry, but Bastion and I are officially on our honeymoon now!" laughed Tania amusedly. "So, get lost!"

Clutching the iron bars tightly, Jaden yelled, "This isn't over! You hear me?!"

For the next several minutes, Jaden kept trying to enter the arena over and over, calling out Bastion's name continuously until he was overcome with fatigue and had to give up for the time being. For now, all the others could do was wait for their friend to appear or at least a window of opportunity to sneak in and grab their friend before worse comes to worse.

* * *

 _The next morning around sunrise..._

"AAAAAAHHHH! WAAAAAAHHHH! OWWWWWWWW!"

Everyone sweatdropped before turning back to the fire they were tending as Alexis started poking and moving around the burning wood it with a stick out of boredom.

Raising a hand, Elize questioned, "Um...Just what is Miss Tania doing to-"

"Adult things. Possibly adult things," answered Chazz, not wanting to get into detail.

"It sounds like he's in pain," spoke Jaden, glancing behind his shoulder towards the coliseum.

"ADULT THINGS."

"I hate hearing Bastion suffer like that and not being able to help," spoke Alexis, pitiful for Bastion.

"No joke!" agreed Chazz. "I bet they've been dueling all night! And from those screams, it seems that Bastion's been losing all night too!"

"Oh! So that's what those screams were about!" said Elize. "Poor Bastion...I bet he didn't get a lot of sleep, either."

"How long can this go on?" wondered Banner, increasingly concern for one of his students who was in the clutches of a dangerous Shadow Rider.

Jaden, having heard enough of Bastion's tormenting screams, immediantly stood up with a look of determination. "We gotta do something!"

"Yeah!" both Syrus and Chumley cried out in unison.

Hearing some creaking noises coming from the barred gates of the coliseum, everyone turned and saw the gates springing upwards, thus allowing new entrance in and out of the coliseum. To everyone's surprise, someone was slowly and weakly walking out of the coliseum, flustered and fatigued.

"I-Is he okay?" Elize asked hesitantly, seeing the unusual state Bastion was in.

"Bastion...?" Rushing forward, Jaden was the first to catch Bastion as he fell to his knees while the others followed after, gathering around the fallen and utterly defeated Bastion. "Wait...She dumped you?"

"That's right...I'm crushed!" moaned Bastion in devasation as he glanced at Jaden before looking back at the sky.

"You're not crushed! You're lucky!" Chazz said, not wanting to be in Bastion's shoes.

Banner was confused, though. "I don't understand! She was so smitten with you!"

"I know!" Bastion said before smiling, obviously thinking about his newfound love. "We were to be married...but she decided that I wasn't duelist enough! I wasn't good enough for her and she's left me forever! She says she wants a...champion! A duelist that can give her a...match that she'll always remember..."

"Bastion..." Jaden softened his expression, feeling sorry for all the trouble his friend went through. Bastion was forced into marriage with Tania, was somewhat tortured without a wink of sleep last night, and now he was utterly crushed and dumped by the one woman he thought was his soul mate.

Elize, having noticed Bastion doze off just now, said, "Hey, shouldn't we return back? I think Bastion's too exhausted to do anything right now."

Banner nodded. "Because of these events, I suppose I'll excuse all of us from class today. It's been so tiring ever since yesterday."

Though it took some effort, some of the males in their group managed to carry the sleeping Ra Yellow student all the way from the forest and inside his dorm room in the Ra Yellow Dorm before heading back to their original dorms to get some shut eye after all that's happened.

The next day, everyone knew it was understandable that Bastion would still be hung over Tania and still love her, but he's been so distracted with her in his mind, it was like he was forgetting how to put his life back together again. Alexis, Jaden, and Elize had been keeping a constant eye on Bastion as he was lost in thoughts over her.

"Wow, is he still winging out about that girl?" questioned Jaden, surprised.

"Considering that it's only been a day since he lost to Miss Tania, I'd say we should give him some time," Elize advised.

"Yeah! I had no idea Bastion had fallen for her that hard," said Alexis, astounded.

Later, Bastion received a message from the other Key Keepers to meet up with them in the Duel Arena for an urgent emergency. Seeing as he had nothing to do but lament over his lost love, Bastion relentlessly went towards his destination, finding the others inside just as they said they would.

"What do the lot of you want?" asked Bastion, still moping.

Trying to keep his own spirits up, Jaden suggested, "A duel! To cheer you up!"

"I can't!" Shaking his head, Bastion spoke, "It's just too soon for me!"

"Aww, come on! You've got to move on, Bastion!"

"I-I can't duel! Without..." Stammering a bit, Bastion smiled at the memory of his beloved Tania. "Without _Tania_."

"I hate saying this but she's probably dueling without you," Jaden said, trying to encourage his friend to give up on the Amazon and move on. Seriously, was a breakup from a girl this hard to comprehend?

Bastion gasped at Jaden's accusation. "No, she would never! Not my Tania!"

Chazz felt disgusted between Bastion and his puppy love for Tania. "Ugh, gag me."

Taking offense to his comment, Bastion tried to defend his own meaning of love. "You don't understand! We had compassion!"

"Uh...Excuse me, what?" Even Jaden was growing confused over the whole concept of love.

"Can love really make you do a lot of things?" wondered Elize.

Bastion sighed and nodded, knowing it was best it he just explained himself before things grew more complicated. "When I first dueled Tania, there were fireworks between us! You saw how our cards danced in that dangerous Duel Monsters dance together! It was beautiful! Majestic! If I can't have that feeling again when I duel...Well, it's over, then! My life of dueling...it's all finished!"

"But Bastion, she's a Shadow Rider," reminded Zane. "We have the world to save. We need you. And you're saying...you're done?"

Bastion nodded. "As much as all of you require my deck and tactical skills, until I prove to Tania that I am a worthy man, my dueling days are through and forever!"

Having enough of this nonsense, Chazz rudely remarked, "Okay, I'm gonna go to the bathroom and hurl."

Jaden, however, feeling happy for his pal, tried to cheer him up. "Just duel her again! Only ask her for a rematch! Don't take no for an answer! You're a tough guy! And I'll even be your wingman!"

"Isn't that supposed to be one of your cards, Avian?" questioned Elize.

Alexis shook her head. "I guess you could say it's another term for friend, Elize."

"Hmmm..." Now that Jaden's given him a sort of idea to come by, Bastion knew what he must do if he ever wanted Tania to fall in love with him again.

* * *

 _That night, near the coliseum..._

"Why are we even out here again?" complained Elize as she and the others ran towards Bastion and Jaden, who were both standing in front of the coliseum, According to Syrus, Bastion and Jaden had already left to re-challenge Tania again for Bastion's sake, even if it meant during the middle of late night.

"Thought you could use the extra help," Alexis told to Jaden and Bastion once the entire gang was all here.

Jaden nodded, grateful for them for coming in case of any assistance was necessary. "Thanks, you guys!"

Before anyone could do anything, the familiar sounds of a tiger echoed in the air, startling everyone as they reverted towards the direction where the sounds came from. Pouncing out of the forest and onto the ground, Tania along with her pet tiger made their grand appearance, surprising everyone.

"Tania..." muttered Bastion, happy to see her again.

"Can't you take a hint?" sighed Tania. "I already dumped you, don't you remember?"

Standing up for Bastion, Jaden said, "He wants a rematch!"

Turning towards Jaden, Tania found a bit of interest towards him. "He can't have one. _But you seem quite brave..."_

"I do?!" exclaimed Jaden, suddenly realizing where this was leading up to. "B-but I'm here for my friend!"

Tania chuckled. "He already lost. I duel you, or there's no duel!"

"I never back down from a challenge!" replied Jaden, having accepted her terms with a smirk. "I'll do it for Bastion!"

Of course, after Tania was done with Bastion, she'd obviously go after the next strong man she encountered, Jaden. Knowing Jaden, he'd be psyched up for a duel anytime. Luckily, Jaden doesn't seem to be in love with Tania, but he still needed to be wary of her various tricks like she did with Bastion.

The two duelists faced off each other head-to-head in the center of the entire coliseum, acting like it was an arena, and the spectators were Jaden and his friends.

"You know the rules," spoke Tania, holding up two of her Amazoness decks. "If you lose this Shadow Duel, you lose your Spirit Key and single status, meaning you move to this duel arena with me and become my husband forever more!"

"I sure hope that Jaden knows what he's doing!" growled Chazz, not wanting Jaden to screw this up.

"I accept!" said Jaden. "And by the end of this duel, I'll prove to Bastion that you don't need to fall in love to duel in passion!"

"Well, why don't you say we start this duel?" asked Tania as her duel disk along with Jaden's activated.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Tania - 4000 LP**

"Alright, Tania! Get your game on! Here goes!" shouted Jaden after drawing his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Avian in Defense Mode!"

Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/1000)

"That's your move?" questioned Tania, unimpressed. "Well, I have someone to clip your Avian's wings! I summon Amazoness Paladin!"

Amazoness Paladin - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1700/1300)

"And while Paladin's on the field, she gains an extra 100 Attack Points for every single Monster out with Amazoness in its name!"

Amazoness Paladin - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1800/1300)

"And I activate this! A Spell known as Amazoness Charm! Now, all the Monsters on your field in Defense Mode are switched into Attack Mode and they each gain 200 Attack Points!"

Avian, having become infatuated with Amazoness Paladin's beautiful charms, stood up straight with a pink blush on his face, just like the time he was taken over by Maiden in Love's love spell with Sparkman. Burstinatrix was never going to live that down.

Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/1000)

"I don't get it!" Crowler spoke, confused. "Why would she play a card that would Jaden's Monster's Attack power?"

"For the thrill of it," answered Bastion, having known Tania's strategies since he's been a frequent victim of it. "The passion...!"

"Er...sure," Elize said awkwardly. "But, I think it's also because Miss Tania wanted to deal some damage to Jaden. After all, you can't take damage if your Monster is in Defense Mode."

"So, are we enjoying the match so far?" Tania asked amusedly. "Not getting distracted, I hope!"

"Nothing distracts me from dueling!" Jaden replied, getting warmed up. "Didn't you know?"

"Well, maybe this will make you reconsider! The Field Spell card, Amazoness Arena! When this card activates, we both gain 600 Life Points, but it's not just distracting, but captivating! Hahaha!"

Then, bars shot up from underground to create a dome cage, trapping both Tania and Jaden inside until there would be one victor left in this duel.

"Wow, she must be REALLY desperate to find a husband if she's gotta use a cage," stated Chazz, who was astonished by the layout of Amazoness Arena like everyone else.

"Hahaha! You see, Amazoness Arena is a sacred arena!" explained Tania. "In here, you don't just fight with your Monsters, but with your soul!"

"And...just how do I do that?" asked Jaden. Souls are just a part of...oneself! They can't really take physical form!

"Oh, you'll find out!" assured Tania. "But first, Amazoness Paladin! Attack his Avian!"

Readying her weapon, Amazoness Paladin leapt from her position before bringing her sword down as she came downwards.

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

 **Tania - 4600 LP**

"Now you'll see the power of Amazoness Arena!" yelled Tania. "After our Monsters battle, your soul can battle mine! If you sacrifice 100 of your Life Points, you take away 100 of mine!"

"Watch out, Jaden!" warned Alexis.

"I guess I should warn ya! I don't ever hit girls!" said Jaden, excited.

"And you shouldn't!" agreed Tania, understanding his point. "But this isn't a fight between us. You see, it's like I said. Our souls will clash!"

"If you say so!"

 **Jaden - 3900 LP**

 **Tania - 4500 LP**

Without speaking any further words, both duelists focused their energy into manifesting their souls into physical beings, successfully doing so before their souls charged at each other in the air. Jaden's soul attempted to punch her first, but Tania ducked in time and threw a punch back, knocking Jaden back a bit.

 **Jaden - 3800 LP**

 **Tania - 4500 LP**

"Jaden!" cried out Syrus.

Elize asked, "Are you alright?"

"Come on! This is embarrassing for all of us guys!" called out Chumley.

Jaden tried again, delivering a hard and heavy punch right around Tania's jaw area and managing to knock her back as well.

 **Jaden - 3900 LP**

 **Tania - 4400 LP**

Rubbing her chin with a smirk, Tania spoke up, "That's not a bad left hook! I end my turn!"

"What the-?! She compliments his attacks?!" questioned Chazz. He doubts that anyone ever compliments someone when they punch them straight up in the jaw, so this was a first for him.

Apparently, Bastion must have experienced Amazoness Arena, as he remembered "fond" memories of it. "Isn't she great?" he sighed happily.

"Like that? Well, you're gonna love this!" said Jaden after he drew his card. "I use Polymerization to fuse Elemental Heroes Clayman and Sparkman to form Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

Upon entering a whirling, mysterious pool of power, both Clayman and Clayman vanished while the Fusion Monster of thunder himself made his grand appearance.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"Nice move!" complimented Chazz, impressed.

Alexis smiled, nodding. "Really nice move! That Thunder Giant's special ability can take out a Monster with less Attack Points on the turn it was summoned!"

"If it was a special ability, then that means that Thunder Giant could land a direct attack on Miss Tania!" added Elize.

"Guess this is goodbye, Paladin!" Jaden said, watching as Amazoness Paladin was struck filled with electricity before exploding.

"Impressive!" admitted Tania.

"I'm not done! Now my Thunder Giant attacks you directly!"

Raising his arms above his head, Thunder Giant charged up an orb of electricity before bringing it down and firing a beam from the orb directly at Tania, resulting in a huge explosion.

 **Jaden - 3900 LP**

 **Tania - 2000 LP**

"Tania! Are you okay?" asked Jaden, as soon as the smoke cleared, which revealed Tania's seemingly unconscious state. He didn't mean to hurt her, he just wanted to take away a bit of her Life Points!

Groaning, Tania sat up and rubbed away the dirt and dust with the back of her hand. "Not bad, Jaden...You're my type of man!"

"Um...Bastion? I think Tania's falling for Jaden," spoke Banner awkwardly.

"Of course not! She would never leave me!" Obviously, Bastion was in the denial stage.

Yelling out loud, Tania leapt to her feet, having quickly recovered from the blast. "Alright, it's my turn! First, I'll put down a facedown, then summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode! And finally, I'll use Amazoness Call to rip apart your fused Monster! This Spell can only be activated so long as I have an Amazoness Monster out!"

Thunder Giant was forcibly torn apart as both his Fusion Material Monsters, Sparkman and Clayman, were Special Summoned to the field in Attack Mode.

Elemental Hero Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)

Elemental Hero Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)

"Now, let's fight! Attack Clayman with Amazon Slash Attack!"

Amazoness Swords Woman slashed at Clayman's hardened defenses, slicing through them with ease which caused an explosion.

 **Jaden - 3100 LP**

 **Tania - 2000 LP**

"And now, thanks to my Amazoness Arena, it's time we had a rematch!"

 **Jaden - 3000 LP**

 **Tania - 1900 LP**

Continuing where they left off, both Jaden and Tania started exchanging blows with each other. This time, though, Jaden managed to land the first hit, though Tania recoiled by thrusting her fist up at Jaden's face, leaving both of them fatigued and injured.

 **Jaden - 2900 LP**

 **Tania - 1800 LP**

"You know, I used to think hitting like a girl was a bad thing!" replied Jaden, panting but growing excited. So, this is the sort of passion Bastion meant!

"Oh, it's a bad thing, alright," said Tania. "For you. I end my turn!"

"Alright, it's my move! Haaa!" Jaden said, drawing his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in Attack Mode!"

Elemental Hero Burstinatrix - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/800)

"And now, Sparkman! Attack Amazoness Swords Woman!"

"Not so fast!" shouted Tania, having anticipated that Jaden would pull out something like that. "I've got my Trap! Amazoness Archers! It's a rare card, and I can only use it when you make the mistake of attacking a field of Amazoness Monsters. Once you do, all of your Monsters lose 600 Attack Points and have to attack! Not too shabby for a girl, huh?"

Elemental Hero Burstinatrix - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

Elemental Hero Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1000/1400)

As Sparkman flew towards Amazoness Swords Woman to deliver the finishing blow, he felt his strength depleting like crazy, leaving him weakened enough for Amazoness Swords Woman to strike back.

 **Jaden - 2400 LP**

 **Tania - 1800 LP**

"And now, let's have ourselves Round 3!" decided Jaden, activating Amazoness Arena by himself.

"Hold on! Now, Jaden's gonna use the soul attack?" wondered Alexis.

 **Jaden - 2300 LP**

 **Tania - 1700 LP**

Both of them clashed blows against each other once again, meeting each other's expectations in their soul battle as they met each other fist-to-fist.

 **Jaden - 2200 LP**

 **Tania - 1600 LP**

"Not bad! You really duel with _passion!"_ complimented Tania as both duelist smirked at each other.

"What's he trying to prove?" Banner wondered, confused as to why Jaden would be the one to initiate the Amazoness Arena effect.

"I don't know, but I've never seen Jaden duel with so much passion before in my life!" Alexis said.

"Yes, he's enjoying himself!" replied Bastion, glad that Jaden was understanding and undergoing the same experiences he went through that fateful night. "And without being in love!"

"I...don't think this has anything to do with love," Elize said, sounding a little awkward. "I think Jaden's trying to weaken Miss Tania since her Life Points are lower than his."

"Alright, next I'll have my Trap, Amazoness Archers force all your Monsters to attack! That includes your Burstinatrix over there!" said Tania.

"You want it? You got it! Bursinatrix, get them!" ordered Jaden.

Bursting with fire, Burstinatrix flew towards Amazoness Swords Woman in a sort of kamikaze attack when the strike failed once the female swordswoman slashed just at the right timing.

 **Jaden - 1300 LP**

 **Tania - 1600 LP**

"Well, that cost me some points," grunted Jaden. "But, hey! It's worth it to rumble! I'll use Amazoness Arena again!"

The two duelists quickly engaged in a brawl with their souls again. With knowledge of each other's movements, they grew more agile in dodging their attacks until each other managed to land a blow onto the other.

 **Jaden - 1100 LP**

 **Tania - 1400 LP**

"Next, I'll throw down a couple of facedowns!" said Jaden. "Then, I activate a little card known as The Warrior Returning Alive! I get to return a Warrior-Type from my Graveyard to my hand! Now Clayman comes back from the Graveyard and right to my hand! I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Tania. "And I'll summon a little card I'd like to call Amazoness Tiger!"

Amazoness Tiger - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (1100/1500)

"Actually, she's not very little because this kitty gains 400 extra Attack Points for every single Amazoness Monster I have! There's two, so that makes it a total of 1900! She just loves company!"

Amazoness Tiger - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (1900/1500)

"I don't blame her!" said Crowler. "Look how powerful she got!"

"How about we try not to sound so impressed, okay?" demanded Alexis, being irritated by Tania and her continuous flirting with Jaden. Deep down, Alexis may have had a crush on Jaden, and there was no way that she was letting Tania use her mind tricks just like she did with Bastion!

"Now, Amazoness Swords Woman! Attack Jaden directly!" Tania commanded.

"Hold on! I play A Hero Emerges!" Jaden yelled. "Here's how it works! You choose a random card from my hand, and if it's a Monster, I get to summon it to the field! How's that for some company for your cat?"

"But you only have one card left!" pointed out Tania.

"Perfect!" Zane muttered. "She has no choice but to pick it!"

"Elemental Hero Clayman!" called out Jaden, Special Summoning the defensive Monster in Defense Mode.

Elemental Hero Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)

Just when Amazoness Swords Woman was about to land the final blow at Jaden, Clayman stepped in and blocked the attack. Due to Clayman's strong defense, Amazoness Swords Woman's sword split in half.

"I'm sorry, but Swords Woman's special ability transfer all Battle Damage to you!" explained Tania. "So, you probably want to duck now.

"Wha-Ugggh!" The other half of Amazoness Swords Woman's sword flew off and slashed at Jaden's chest before landing at his feet, causing him to feel the pain.

 **Jaden - 600 LP**

 **Tania - 1400 LP**

"Guess it's...time to put up my deuce!"

"But, Jaden!" gasped Alexis.

"He hardly has any Life Points left," Zane said calmly as the Amazoness Arena's effect commenced.

 **Jaden - 500 LP**

 **Tania - 1300 LP**

Jaden and Tania flew at each other once more, striking out at each other with stronger strikes and kicks. By the time they finished their physical fight, both stepped back and fell to one knee, struggling to keep it together.

 **Jaden - 400 LP**

 **Tania - 1200 LP**

"What's he doing?" questioned Chumley, wondering why Jaden would continue on with Amazoness Arena. At this point, it almost seemed like both duelists didn't even care about their Life Points anymore.

"If this keeps up, Jaden is going to lose!" shouted Syrus.

"Perhaps he's falling onto Tania's spell," Zane theorized. "The same spell that caused Bastion to lose."

"It's no spell, Zane!" Bastion said. "It's love, pure as the long, driven snow, right Tania?"

Getting up with an annoyed look, Tania said, "Yeah, yeah! Whatever, lover boy! Now, let's get back to business! Amazoness Tiger! Attack Clayman!"

Amazoness Tiger may appear fierce and strong, but even she couldn't pierce her fangs into Clayman's defensive maneuvers.

 **Jaden - 400 LP**

 **Tania - 1100 LP**

Surprised by this unexpected outcome, Chazz exclaimed, "What the?! Why would Tania attack a Monster with more Defense Points?!"

"Simple," said Alexis. "To use that Arena ability to fight Jaden again."

Like Alexis said, Amazoness Arena's effect took control as Jaden and Tania's soul fought again, handling blow after blow to each other that drastically decreased their Life Points.

 **Jaden - 200 LP**

 **Tania - 900 LP**

"He's still in there," said Chazz, desperately wishing for Jaden to win deep inside.

"For now," Zane said, fully aware of the difference between their Life Points.

"Huh?"

"Next, I'll activate the Quick-Play Spell, Amazoness Trainer to seal your fate!" said Tania as Amazoness Tiger grew stronger all of a sudden.

Amazoness Tiger - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (2300/1500)

Shocked by the turn of events, Chumley said, "Man! Jaden is in deep trouble here!"

"Since she played that Amazoness Trainer, if that Tiger is unable to defeat her target during the Battle Phase, Amazoness Trainer increases Tiger's Attack by 400 and lets Tiger attack again," explained Zane.

"Alright...now, how about somebody explain it to me in ENGLISH?" questioned Chazz, trying to fixate all of that in his head.

"I am afraid...that if that Tiger attacks Jaden again, then this duel is finished," summarized Banner.

"Yes...Jaden will lose. And we'll lose him as a student because he'll have to marry Tania!" said Crowler, gleefully. A bit too happy at that.

"Don't say that!" Alexis shouted, feeling jealously rise up inside her chest.

"Yeah! I don't want Jaden to leave!" cried out Elize.

Panting heavily from all the damage he took, Jaden shouted out towards his opponent, "What's the holdup?!"

"Oh you know, just enjoying the moment!~ After all, it'll be our anniversary!~" giggled Tania. "ATTACK!"

Just as Amazoness Tiger lunged forward and was about to finish off Clayman, Jaden knew this was his chance for a comeback. "Not yet! I play a Trap, Clay Charge! Here's how it works! If you attack Clayman when I use this Trap card, not only do both Monsters get destroyed, but you take 800 Points of Damage!"

When Amazoness Tiger was about to pounce onto Clayman, Clayman took this opening to tackle her, thus destroying both of them once they reached close contact.

 **Jaden - 200 LP**

 **Tania - 100 LP**

"So, you're playing hard to get, I see," chuckled Tania, impressed. "I like that!"

"Hey, I'm just liking this all-out duel!"

"You know what? I'm liking it too!" admitted Syrus. "It's non-stop action!"

"Huh..." Elize touched her chest, having felt excitement throughout watching the duel. "I can feel excited from the duel. It almost makes me want to duel Miss Tania, too."

Zane agreed. "I think that's what Jaden's going for, too. Beating her at her own game."

"I guess..." said Chazz. "Unless he's trying to impress her. "Who knows? Maybe this Tania girl is Jaden's type."

"Why don't you shut it, Chazz?" snapped Alexis, having enough of hearing everyone's comments on how skilled Tania is. "And besides, did you forget? This is more than just marriage! Jaden needs a Miracle Draw here, or Tania's gonna get another Spirit Gate Key! Not to mention, Bastion's gonna spend the rest of his life on some lame love limbo! There's a lot riding on Jaden's shoulders this move!"

"You fought well, Jaden," Tania said. "But my Swords Woman will beat you. Remember, her special effect makes it so you take all damage you deal to her. You can't win. I'll end my turn for now."

"Hmph! With one card, I can!" promised Jaden, drawing his card. "And I just drew it! Go, Elemental Hero Wildheart! In Attack Mode!"

Elemental Hero Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

"They have the same Attack Points!" Chazz pointed out, knowing this was going to be a draw between both Monsters.

"So, they'll destroy each other!" said Chumley.

"That means Jaden's Life Points won't go down!" added Elize. "But wait, wouldn't that leave him defenceless?"

"Wildheart!" shouted Jaden. "Attack Amazoness Swords Woman!"

Both Warrior-Types charged at each other, and just like Jaden and Tania, they both took each other out using brutal force.

"Now, let's go!"

"This is it! She's down to just 100 Attack Points!" gasped Alexis, realizing this could determine the outcome of their duel.

"And I'm back down to Earth! Jaden proved that you can duel passionately! Without being..." Tears of joy sprung up from the corners of his eyes as Bastion felt happy about how Jaden did all of this for him. "Now go get her and win this match for us both!"

Pushing their fists forward as they charged at one another for the final time, both duelist and warrior struck at each other with all of their might before stumbling back. The victor of this final match was to be determined under the radiant sunlight from the morning sun that just rose up.

"It's...finally over," spoke Banner after a moment of silence. Not surprising since they were awed from all of the passion shown in the duel.

"Never...have I ever seen two people duel with such passion and heart..." mumbled Crowler, stunned. This made him nearly forget his hatred for the Slifer slacker.

Zane spoke up, "Well, tell us, Bastion. How do you feel? Like a man still in the thorns of love? Or has this duel finally helped you rebound?"

"Still in love," answered Bastion. "In love now...with dueling. I see where the passion lies once again."

"I guess that's game!" panted Jaden, brushing sweat off his forehead. "Lemme know if you ever want a rematch!"

Tania shook her head with a smile. "No rematch. I joined the Shadow Riders to find a duelist who would be worthy to be my husband. But I discovered I am not worthy to be as someone as strong as you." She closed her eyes in acceptance to her loss as her remaining Life Points went down to 0.

 **Jaden - 100 LP**

 **Tania - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden**

"Tania...?"

Because the duel finally came to a close, everything returned to normal and the Amazoness Arena which trapped them inside disappeared into nothing. A purple aura filled up Tania's body as she reverted into a white colored tiger, much to everyone's shock.

"A tiger?" asked Syrus.

"Uh...How is that possible?" questioned Elize.

"T-Tania? Is that you?" sputtered Bastion.

Glancing at Bastion, Tania felt a bit of regret for treating Bastion unfairly. _'Farewell, Bastion...'_ With her last thoughts out, she turned and left one of the Shadow Charms behind, thus leaving the arena with her pet tiger.

"Well then...I guess that this is it," Bastion sighed.

"Wow, Bastion," teased Chazz, clamping a hand onto the Ra Yellow's shoulder. "You sure know how to pick 'em!"

"Don't worry, buddy! There's plenty of fish in the sea!" said Jaden, trying to cheer up Bastion.

"Yes, but not too many tigers! Goodness..."

Elize was just relieved that the second Shadow Rider business was dealt with quickly than the last one. Sure, they lost another Spirit Key, but at least this taught them all a bit of a lesson. Thanks to Jaden and Tania's duel, she felt more excited to duel than ever!

"Hehehe! I wonder what would have happened if you two actually got in bed? Wonder which one would be the dominant one?" Chazz continued his teasing towards Bastion with a smirk.

"Huh?" Tilting her head, Elize raised her hand. "What do you mean in bed?"

Alexis glared angrily at Chazz. "CHAZZ!"

"Crap! I mean, nothing! It's no-Wait...Alexis? Why are you coming towards me with tha-?! OH GOD NO!"

And that was another story for another day.

* * *

 **Skit: Bad Romance**

"Hmm..." muttered Elize to herself.

"What's wrong, Elize?" asked Alexis.

"Well...I'm a bit confused on love and all that stuff. Miss Tania's looking for love, right? But...she chose Bastion and now she doesn't love him? I think Bastion's a great guy!"

Alexis sighed. "Sometimes, girls aren't satisfied with just love. It's like they want the guys to prove how much they love them. They're testing them."

"Testing?"

"Right. But, don't follow Tania's example. She's a really bad influence."

"Because she's a Shadow Rider, and Shadow Riders are our enemies?" wondered Elize.

"That's...a part of it, yes. But...Look, just choose one lover, okay?"

"Hmm...I still don't understand what's going on, but I trust you, Alexis! Okay. I'll try."

* * *

 **Skit: Single**

 _ **"What's wrong, Elize?"**_ asked Hiita, seeing the worried expression on her master's face. Thinking it was another bully, she clutched her weapon tightly. _**"Was it another bully?! I swear, I'll kill them!"**_

"H-Huh? No, no! It's not that!" said Elize, shaking her head. "I just...um...I was thinking...maybe I don't want to get married in the future."

 _ **"Why would you say that? Marriage is a good thing!"**_ encouraged Eria. _**"I'd rather marry a handsome, sexy Duel Monster who's rich and powerful!"**_

 _ **"Of course that'd be your type,"**_ deadpanned Aussa.

 _ **"What brought this up, Elize?"**_ wondered Fire Sorcerer.

"It's...Miss Tania," Elize explained. "She just...she kept saying how she loves Bastion and all, but then the next day, she just...dumped him. Threw him away like trash. It made me really horrified and a little scared of Miss Tania. I mean, how could she do that to Bastion? He's a nice person! But...the way Miss Tania did that to him...It makes me a bit scared...I don't want to be like her!"

 _ **"Elize,"**_ spoke up Mystical Elf, comforting Elize the best she could. _**"Everyone views love differently...There are good people and bad people. Tania certainly dealt the situation in a bad way, but you don't need to become like her. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine. Of course, it's up to you whether or not you want to marry. Either way, I will respect your decision. We all will."**_

"Well...Okay. I definitely don't want to follow Miss Tania's example! I want to treat my lover with respect and as much love as possible! But, I think it's a bit difficult trying to marry as long as Big Sis is in the way."

 _ **"Yeah, you got that right,"**_ said Hiita. _**"Mina definitely tends to go overboard, and that's saying a lot coming from me."**_

* * *

 **Skit: Future Love**

"Bastion? Are you sure you'll be alright?" Elize asked.

Bastion smiled and patted the girl's head. "Yes, yes, I'll be fine. I just need a quick rest, and I'll be as good as new!"

"Okay...But, I'm sure you'll find a good person someday!"

"Hopefully, it won't be a tiger," said Chazz with a bit of a bump on his head.

"Chazz! What happened to you?" asked Elize, surprised. "Where'd you get that injury from?"

"...From me and my big mouth."

"Well, that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't teased me first. Karma's gotten you in the end, Chazz," taunted Bastion with a smirk.

"Shut it, bird brain," growled Chazz.

"...Will I be able to find someone I love someday?" wondered Elize.

"Of course you will!" assured Bastion. "Someone as cute and kind as you oughta be suitable for any man!"

"Oh! Okay! Does that mean it's possible I might marry someone like you or Chazz?"

"Wha-?! Where'd you get that idea, Red Hat Girl?!" exclaimed Chazz.

"So...It's not possible for me, then?"

"No, not that! Why do you think I would want to marry you?"

"Hmm? But I don't want to marry you," replied Elize innocently.

"E-eh?!"

"You don't anyone, you yell at people, and you're mean to your Ojamas! I'm sorry, but I don't think I'd want to marry someone like you after all. But, thanks for clearing my head, Chazz!"

Chazz just stood there, mortified as Bastion broke out into laughter. He knew that Elize didn't mean any offense, but that didn't stop the comments from hurting!

Twitching his eye, Chazz turned around and stomped away. "Screw you guys! I'm heading back to my dorm!"

* * *

 **Finished at the nick of time! I decided to put these skits up for fun! Like in the Tales of Series! Might do the same for my Gender Generation fanfic! Maybe!~ Read and review!**


	19. Valentine's Day Special

**If you guys thought Gender Generation had a good special, then wait until you get this! The Valentine's Day Special for Cherished Evolution coming right up!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Huh? You're all out of chocolate?" complained Elize, having approached Dorothy in her card shop and requesting for some chocolate. After all, tommorow was Valentine's Day and she wanted to get some chocolate for her friends.

"I'm sorry, dear. I'm afraid I am," apologized Dorothy, shaking her head. "I even ran out of the ingredients to properly make chocolate. I'm sorry. Shipment for more ingredients won't arrive until a few days later, I'm afraid."

"It's okay, I understand. Well, good night, Miss Dorothy! Thank you for all your help!" said Elize, bowing her head before leaving the card shop, intent on heading straight back to her dorm room.

 _ **"So, who's the lucky guy, Elly?"**_ asked Hiita mischeviously. _**"Someone we know? Or some hot guy you've got a crush on?"**_

"Huh? I-I don't have a crush on anyone!" replied Elize, blushing pink a little.

 _ **"Ooh!~ Now this, I gotta get in on!~"**_ cooed Lyna, grinning as well. Whenever it came to teasing or any mischevious deeds, she and Hiita were masters of it. _**"If you don't have a crush, then why is your face to pink, El?"**_

"I-it's nothing! Besides, I'm really too young! Remember, I'm 13!"

 _ **"Yeah, but last time I checked, everyone was 15. Just two years younger than you. Except for Zane. He's much more older. Unless you're more into older boys?~"**_

"No way!" Elize shook her head. "Besides, Blair likes Zane, remember?"

 _ **"True true. She used to, remember? Now she likes Jaden just as I love my cute little Dharcy!"**_ giggled Lyna.

"Ugh...I'm just going to work on the Valentine's Day cards. Hopefully, they'll be enough to make the others happy," Elize said, not wishing to discuss the topic of love any further. She managed to reach her room and sat down on a chair near her desk, properly writing down her Valentine cards for each of her friends.

 _ **"Man, what's with Elize? She's suddenly getting all snappy,"**_ pouted Hiita before grinning. _**"Then again, it might be a good thing. She's finally showing some backbone."**_

 _ **"I don't think she's gone snappy. I just think you and Lyna are pushing her a bit too far,"**_ said Wynn. Since she and Elize have similar personalities, they get along a lot deeper than the rest of the Charmers, so naturally the WIND-Attribute Monster understands more of her master. _**"Elize doesn't need to rush in love and all. She's only younger than us, after all."**_

 _ **"Hiita? Lyna? Have you been disturbing Elize once again?"**_ questioned Doriado sternly as she appeared, reprimanding the two.

Aussa, having been a witness to the events that transpired, raised her hand. _**"Yes, Mistress Doriado. Hiita and Lyna were teasing and persuading Elize to get a...lover."**_

 _ **"Gaaaah! Aussa, you freakin' tattletale!"**_ whined Hiita.

 _ **"Killjoy!"**_ added in Lyna.

A tick mark appeared on Doriado's head as she yanked on both her little troublemakers' ears. _**"Hiita, Lyna...I believe extra practice is in order as punishment. Please brace yourselves."**_

 _ **"Nooooooo!"**_

While Elize's Duel Spirits were bickering alongside themselves, Elize ignored them and continued writing down her cards. Considering she grew up with the talkactive bunch, she was pretty used to their antics and learned how to ignore them.

* * *

 _The next morning..._

Elize yawned, stretching her arms before opening her door towards a brand new day. Not a single cloud was in sight as the morning sky was clear and as blue as it ever was with the warm sun shining down. She walked forward only for her foot to nudge at something hard.

"Hmm?" Looking down, Elize noticed a package addressed to her only. Looks like it was another gift from her big sister again. About every few times a month, her big sister would always send Elize a package along with a letter, so this didn't come as a surprise to Elize.

Picking up the package, she found it was actually quite light and managed to carry it back inside her room. Plomping it down to the ground, Elize used her scissors to cut apart the tape carefully before uncovering the package from the top. Inside was the letter sent from her sister, along with small boxes full of some Pocky.

 **"Dear Elize,**

 **I hope you're doing well at Duel Academy, learning all sort of new things and getting lots of friends. Of course, don't try and make any male friends because if you do, I may have to interrogate each and every one of them, so, you know. Hope you've been improving in your dueling so far. I'm not much of a duelist myself so I wouldn't know. Anyways, I got you some snacks just in case you were hungry. Grandma is doing alright, and I'm doing alright in my job as well, so there's no need to worry.**

 **From, your beloved big sister, Mina."**

"I think she went a bit too overboard..." muttered Elize, sweatdropping at the amount of Pocky. Then again, this could provide a solution for her. Pocky was a form of chocolate sticks, so she could serve them to her friends as alternate Valentine Day presents.

Appearing spiritually behind Elize, Dharc glanced over Elize's shoulder, surprised at the Pocky sent to her. _**"...Your sister truly spoils you, Elize. I'm just glad I'm not a human."**_

"Oh, good morning, Dharc," welcomed Elize, having sensed Dharc's presence the moment he stepped into the room. "Happy Valentine's Day. If I could, I would give you and the others chocolate and cards, but-"

 _ **"Nah, it's fine. We can't physically touch anything in the human world anyways. Still, thanks. But, what are you going to do with all this candy? Save it up and eat little by little?"**_

"There is always that. But, I decided to give these to my friends! I have too much anyways, and besides, it's not like Big Sis is going to find out. Oh, give my regards to the others, please!"

Dharc nodded. _**"Understood. I have to return back anyways. Well, see you later, Elize. Good luck."**_

After he left, Elize scooped up the Pocky into a backpack along with her Valentine's Day cards before heading out to do her duty.

* * *

 _With Alexis..._

"For me? Aww, thanks Elize!" thanked Alexis, ruffling Elize's hair as she took the Valentine's Day card and Pocky from Elize.

Elize giggled before putting her hat back on after fixing her hair. "Thanks, Alexis! My sis got me a box of that, and since I had too much, I decided to share it with everyone! Hope you enjoy!"

"Yeah, and now it's my turn to give you some chocolate. Here, close your eyes and open your mouth!"

Doing as Alexis requested her to do, Elize awaited for something to happen until she felt Alexis' fingers slip a little inside her mouth before pulling back. Feeling a round, sweet object on her tongue, Elize bit down and chewed down on the sweet substance. Her tongue exploded with the tastes of milk chocolate along with regular chocolate combined together.

"Mmm! So good!"

Alexis smiled. "Really? That's a relief. I was afraid that it wouldn't turn out great. I managed to use the last of the ingredients to make some small chocolates."

"Oh, okay. Well, it was still good." Picking up her backpack, Elize turned around. "Well, I have to go find the others. See you later, Alexis."

"Alright, see you."

* * *

 _With Bastion..._

"F-for me?" sputtered Bastion, blushing as he held up the Pocky, never mind the card he got from Elize. "B-but I can't!"

"Huh?" Confused, Elize seemed a bit sadden. "Oh...you don't like the chocolate?"

"N-no! I'm happy that you got my a gift, but..." Yeah, there was no way Bastion was going to tell Elize that he was getting the wrong idea and wondering if she liked him back. After all, Pocky was a chocolate gift for romance, but it was clear Elize meant to give it to him as a friend. Not only that, but memories of White Magician Pikeru sprung up his mind. "N-never mind! I like it! Thank you! Bye-bye!"

Seeing him leave, Elize was only left more confused. "O-Okay...?"

* * *

 _With Zane..._

"No," was all Zane plainly said to her.

"Huh?" wondered Elize.

"I mean, I won't accept your Valentine's Day. I already have too many fangirls as it is. I don't need to add another one."

"I...honestly don't know what you're talking about, Zane. I'm just giving this to you as a kind act of our friendship?"

"Friendship? You're certain it isn't because you like me or anything?"

"Of course I like you, Zane! We're friends, after all!"

Zane sighed and took the card and Pocky. "Right...Of course. That's fine." For a moment, he thought that Elize had fallen for him just as many girls at Duel Academy had, but then again, he recalled that Elize was too young and naive to understand these things. Plus, there was a bit of an age gap between the two.

"Well, I have to deliver the rest to the others. Have a good day!" she called out, turning to walk away.

Glancing at the chocolate, Zane then stuffed the small box in his pocket. He's already gotten a mountain of these back in his front dorm room door. Eh, might as well givwe the rest to Jaden and his friends. Knowing how energetic Jaden is, he may as well enjoy the amount of chocolate he has along with Syrus and that other roommate of theirs.

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

"Okay...last one is Syrus. I should go to his room next to see if he's there," muttered Elize to herself as she approached the Slifer Red dorm. Just before she could climb up the stairs, she saw the glasses-wearing boy walking down, surprised to see her.

"Oh! E-Elize! Um...Uh...I gotta talk to you! Now! Like, it's super important!" exclaimed Syrus, blushing madly.

"Hmm? Oh, okay. I needed to see you real quick, too."

As both Slifer Reds seated themselves on the stairs, Jaden, Chumley, and Chazz hid behind a door, spying on the two. Ever since they learned about Syrus' girl crush on Elize, both Chumley and Jaden wished to help out their best buddy as best as they could. Chazz just joined in the spying just for the heck of it.

"Here you go! Happy Valentine's Day!" said Elize, giving Syrus Pocky and his own card.

"Oh! Thanks!" Opening the card along with the small box, Syrus smiled warmly, thinking he could do this as he turned to face her. "Elize? I...I have something to confess. I...I think I like you! There! I said it!"

"Yes! He finally said it!" whispered Jaden, giving a thumbs up for Syrus.

"Huh, who would have thunk it?" said Chazz, a little impressed.

"I like you, too!" said Elize. "We're friends, remember?"

"Or not," muttered Chumley.

"Ohhhh..." said Chazz. "I can see where this is going..."

"There's a chance for Sy!" reminded Jaden. "Maybe she's just confused!"

"Ahahaha..." Syrus laughed awkwardly before clearing his throat. "Sorry, uh...I think you're misunderstanding something, Elize. I mean, like..I like you in a romantic way. Like, I...kinda want to be your boyfriend...'

"Oh!" Now it was time for Elize to blush. After all, she's never had someone confess to her, much less a boyfriend. "I...Okay, then...Um..."

"You...don't want me as your boyfriend?" asked Syrus, feeling disproved.

"No, no! It's not that!" assured Elize, shaking her head. "Don't get me wrong! You're a good friend, Syrus! And I'm really glad you like me but...Uh...I'm sorry. I guess I'm not really interested in love right now. I'm too young too. Besides, love hasn't exactly crossed my mind."

"Oh..." Syrus knew that would be the case. After all, both would be too young to date, considering they were both still young teens. If they did this now, they might do something they'll later regret. No matter how much Elize tried to sugarcoat her rejection towards him, Syrus still felt a bit hurt. At least Elize wasn't hasty and didn't reject him harshly.

"...I'm sorry."

Syrus shook his head and smiled, wiping away a few of his tears. "It's fine. I sorta knew this would happen anyways." Trying to make himself feel better, Syrus opened up the box of Pocky and offered a stick over to Elize. "Want one?"

Elize nodded and took it, nibbling onto it as Syrus started crunching on another piece. Meanwhile, Jaden, Chazz, and Chumley decided to leave the two alone, thinking that they needed some private time alone.

* * *

 **Skit: Game Rules**

 _ **"Say, Elize? Did you know that Pocky actually has a game behind it?"**_ said Hiita, grinning.

"Hmm? It does?"

 _ **"Yeah! One guy has to take one end of the Pocky into their mouth, while the girl takes the other end and they both start munching! Then, something magical happens!"**_

"What sort of magic?" wondered Elize.

 _ **"Well-"**_

 _ **"What are you doing, teaching her?! That stuff can get you pregnant if you're not careful!"**_ yelled Aussa, bickering with Hiita and leaving Elize in the dark.

"Wh...I don't know what's going on anymore."

* * *

 **Sorry if it was a short Valentine's Day Special, but I was all out of ideas for cute little Elize! Still, you gotta give me credit for trying! And this just clears up one little possible romance!**


	20. The Dark Scorpions

**Hi, guys! Time for this chapter to start! Don't really have anything to say, so let's get started!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Sighing deeply, Alexis continued to stare at the back of her big brother as he glanced at the windows emotionlessly. Even though he was physically fine, Atticus hasn't been his usual, cheerful self, as he was lost in thought and wondering what he's done as Nightshroud. The guilt of what he could have possibly have done must have been thawing at him a lot from deep within, as he had refused to talk about it to anyone, even to his little sister.

"Alexis? How are you?" called out Elize, walking up to the older girl. She saw what Alexis had been watching over and grew sad. She felt bad for Alexis since Atticus barely said a word to anyone and that Alexis was suffering for it. The least she could do right now was be at her friend's side.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. There's no need to worry," assured Alexis, giving her a sad smile.

"Hey, guys! What's up!" This time, Jaden, accompanied by some others, came towards the two girls with his usual happy grin. "Alexis, how's your bro, Atticus, doing?"

Turning back to her brother, Alexis answered, "So-so. I mean, he's out of that hospital bed now, but he still can't remember much of what happened."

"I'm sure he'll come soon around, Alexis," assured Jaden, trying to comfort her.

Alexis nodded, knowing that Jaden was right and that she appreciated his attempts at cheering her up. "Anyways, what brings you all over?"

"The law, actually!" answered Banner, moving aside to reveal what appeared to be a detective by his side.

Everyone looked at the strange detective before them as he took his hat off as a sign of politeness before beginning to introduce himself. "Good afternoon, ma'am! I'm Detective Zaloog!"

Blinking, Alexis thought his appearance seemed a bit off, especialy with the strange golden eyepatch he had on. Then again, she wasn't usually one to judge someone based on appearance. "Okay...?"

"You see, Alexis, since three of the Spirit Keys have already been taken by the Shadow Riders, and the fate of the world rests on protecting the remaining four, the Academy thought it'd be best to call in the police," explained Banner.

While the police wasn't exactly the best defense against mystical, magical powers that the Shadow Riders wielded, it did make sense to put in some form of protection for the students. At least this way, the police could provide some assistance and protect their lives. After all, the Key Keepers were still human after all; teenaged students at that.

"Uh...By the way, where is your key, Lex?" Jaden asked Alexis, since the topic of protecting Spirit Keys was important.

"Right here, around my neck," the female Obelisk Blue member answered.

Revealing his own Spirit Key around his neck, Chazz said, "Same here."

Picking up his Spirit Key from around his neck, Jaden nodded. "Yeah, same with me."

Elize unzipped her Slifer Red jacket a little, showing her Spirit Key was still in place. "Mine's safe too."

"Oh, my. That's exactly what I was afraid of," sighed Zaloog. "You may think that's where it's safest, but it's not. For you see, all the Shadow duelists have to do is find you, and they find the key."

"So," spoke up Banner. "The detective suggests that we all hide our keys somewhere!"

Shrugging his shoulders, Jaden agreed, "Whatever's clever, I guess."

* * *

 _In Chazz's room..._

Opening the sink cabinet, Chazz fished his hand into the dark depths underneath the sink pipes to place his Spirit Key inside. "Nobody will think to look here!"

"Yes," agreed Zaloog, nodding. "Just be sure, Chazz, to keep it a secret!" A strange noise from outside Chazz's room startled everyone, as it could be a Shadow Rider. "Who's that?!"

Quickly slamming the door open, Alexis and Jaden saw a janitor happily painting the railings of the Slifer Red Dorm dark brown, as the paint from before was starting to stain and rust.

"Oh, that's just Gorg! He's the janitor!" said Jaden; his tone assuring everyone that Gorg was alright.

* * *

 _In Jaden's room..._

"There! The junk drawer!" said Jaden, placing his Spirit Key inside his desk drawer filled with some marbles and papers.

"Good! No one will ever find it mixed in with that cludder!" said Zaloog, nodding his head in approval.

Pushing the desk drawer closed, Chazz, Jaden, Alexis, and Elize simply stared at the detective until a noise snapped them out of it.

"Who's there?!" Jaden demanded, swunging the door open all of a sudden.

A Slifer Red student shrieked, surprised by the sudden approach. Glancing out from behind Jaden, Elize blinked and sighed in relief. "Oh, I thought it was a Shadow Rider!"

Curious, Zaloog asked, "Well, who is it?"

As they were approaching their way towards their own room, Syrus and Chumley recognized the mysterious Slifer Red student before stopping near him. "Hey, Chick. Lost again?"

"Your room's next door, remember?" Jaden reminded him.

"O-oh! Oh yeah!" Frantically, Chick ran off, not wanting to waste anymore time in that situation.

Chumley and Syrus were already introduced to Zaloog awhile ago and fully understood the details of the investigation at hand. Seeing his confused expression, Chumley explained, "Chick's a new transfer student! He's kinda on the slow side. I love dueling him!"

* * *

 _In Elize's room..._

"Hmm...I dunno where to put my Spirit Key," said Elize as everyone had already gathered in her spacious room.

"I know! The closet!" exclaimed Jaden.

"Jaden, that's the first thing the thief will look for," reminded Chazz.

"What about under the bed?" suggested Alexis.

"Yes, very good!" agreed Zaloog. "No one will ever think to look there during the night unless they want to risk waking someone up!"

"Huh?" Elize noticed a security guard walking past her room due to her room entrance being opened. "What's a security guard doing here?"

"Hmm? Oh, I made some arrangements and had Officer Cliff look after this dorm temporarily," explained Zaloog. "After all, three of the Spirit Key holders live in this dorm, so it needs extra protection! Now, come on. There's one more Spirit Key we have to hide! Young lady in blue, would you kindly escort us your room?"

Alexis nodded. "Sure, though it'll take a while to walk to there."

As everyone started leaving Elize's room, Elize felt a ghostly hand clasp her shoulder, prompting her to turn her head. "Miss Doriado?"

 _ **"Elize."**_ The serious and concerned expression on the Duel Spirit's face didn't seem like she was joking. _**"I sense something...strange with that detective person. Perhaps it would be best if you changed your hiding spot."**_

"Hmm? Why? I trust Detective Zaloog."

 _ **"Appearances can be deceiving, Elize. You may not understand this yet, but I'm sure you will. Please do this task for me."**_

"Well...Okay." Elize pulled the Spirit Key from underneath her bed and decided to hide it underneath her red cap. "Will this do?"

 _ **"Yes, I suppose."**_

"Elize! Are you coming?" called out Jaden's voice from outside.

"Oh! Yes! I'm sorry to keep you waiting!"

* * *

 _In Alexis' room..._

Gently placing her Spirit Key in the insides of her glamorous jewelry box, Alexis spoke, "Well, this is where I keep all my valuables. There."

"Nice work!" complimented Zaloog, who was relaxing by leaning against Alexis' couch.

Glancing at the insides of her jewelry box, Elize was amazed by some of the jewelry Alexis owned. "Wow! That green gem looks pretty!"

Smiling, Alexis offered, "That's called an emerald. If you want, I can let you borrow that for a special occasion some other time, alright?"

"Okay! Thanks!"

"Oh! Uh..." Having accidentally entered Alexis' bedroom, a beautiful-looking nurse with a clipboard looked around, confused. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you all!"

"What? Who? Who is this?" wondered Zaloog.

"It's cool! She's the school nurse! No one to worry about!" assured Alexis as the nurse gave a friendly and kindhearted smile to everyone.

"Wait, I thought Ms. Fontaine was our school nurse," recalled Elize as the nurse panicked for a brief moment.

"O-OH! Well, she needed some assistance! After all, one woman can't possibly do her work alone without some help!"

"Oh, that makes sense!"

Banner yawned; exhaustion read all over his face. "Well, I suppose we can go to sleep soundly!"

"Yes, quite so. Now, children, get to bed. You all must be so exhausted," Zaloog advised.

* * *

 _Late, that night..._

Chazz, who had been asleep the entire time, awoken when light shined in his direction, causing him to wake up at the sight of Jaden, Syrus, and Elize yelling at him to get up. Since he was wearing earplugs, he couldn't hear them, so he sat up and took out the earplugs from his ears.

"Uh...Morons? See these little things in my ears?" interrupted Chazz rudely. "They're earplugs, so start over."

"Your key! It's vanished, Chazz! Look!" cried out Jaden, pointing to Chazz's door. Well, it couldn't properly be called a door anymore since it was smashed to bits as wooden splinters and pieces scattered on the ground.

"What in the-?! No, it can't be!" Shocked, Chazz was now fully wide awake as he ran over to the sink cabinet, where he opened it and scrambled his hand, trying to feel his way towards the Spirit Key. Nothing. "It's gone! How!?"

"Those things in your ears? They make it so you can't hear any doors being kicked in!" Jaden said, reminding Chazz about the fact that he himself was the one who blocked off any sound. "It looks like they're back!"

Chazz gasped, upon realization of who he meant. "The Shadow Riders!"

"Come on! We've gotta tell everyone!"

Having informed Alexis and Banner of their predicament, all of them decided to gather in Elize's room since it was more spacious than any of their rooms. They sat down near a small table to talk amongst themselves.

"So, all your keys are gone, too?" questioned Chazz.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," said Banner, ashamed.

"See, Jaden?! And they weren't wearing earplugs!"

"Um..." Raising her hand, Elize spoke up, "My Spirit Key didn't get stolen."

"What? Are you serious?" asked Jaden, who was as surprised as everyone else. "But why?"

"I...I got a bit worried, so I decided to move my Spirit Key to a different hiding spot just in case. I woke up because I was feeling cold, and I saw my window was opened. I don't normally open my window at night, so I knew something was wrong."

"Then this just proves it," said Chazz. "Someone managed to sneak into our rooms and stole our Spirit Keys, but because Red Hat Girl here moved her Spirit Key, the intruder tried to sneak in her room, but found nothing."

"Yeah, I did hear some weird noises, but I thought it was nothing," admitted Elize. "I'm sorry I couldn't be much help."

"We'll figure this out," announced Zaloog, who was accompanied by the nurse, Gorg, Chick, and Officer Cliff.

"Detecitve Zaloog! What's going on?" gasped Banner, wondering why so many people were here.

"I rounded up some suspects! To help get to the bottom of this most serious crime!"

Banner nodded, understanding. "So, you'll question them?"

"In due time. After I pose a few questions to you first!"

"Huh...Whatever!" agreed Jaden, standing up. "After all, he's the detective, right?"

Chazz shook his head; eyes closed and arms crossed in concentration. "Wrong. Something's up."

"What's up?"

"Chazz, let's let him do his job," offered Banner kindly.

"Sorry, but this here's a job for...Chazz Princeton! Ace detective!"

"Huh?!" Everyone in the room was baffled by his declaration but decided to allow him to speak his piece as they settled down in Elize's room.

"Now, everyone who knew where those keys were are all in this room," explained Chazz, detailing down the case. "So that means the thief has to be, too!"

Syrus had to agree with that sort of logic. "Yeah, I guess...But how will we find him? I mean, won't we need evidence?"

"You know," started Alexis. "I did see a press-on nail on my floor."

The nurse gasped, glancing at her fingernails, which one of the press-on nails were missing. She panicked, not wanting the others to get in on her and deem her suspicious.

"A press-on nail, huh?" That appeared to interest Chazz as he asked, "That sounds like a very promising clue, Lex. So, where's the press-on nail, now?"

"I uh...Kinda threw it in the garbage." Once admitting it out loud, Alexis blushed, embarrassed about a silly little mistake that could have been a vital clue.

"The garbage? Well, there goes that idea."

"Yeah...I guess I goofed."

"You know, there was a hole in the wall in our room!" recalled Jaden, turning to both Chumley and Syrus.

"It's true!" said Syrus, nodding as he remembered such a terrible thing happening to their wall.

"And let me guess, slacker! You already sealed it back up!" At this point, Chazz wasn't even surprised anymore.

"Well...Kinda?" Jaden tried to lighten Chazz's mood with a grin, only to fail.

"You guys are really something!"

"Hey, thanks! We do what we can!"

"You sure do!"

As Chick nervously and quickly hid a drill-like tool from behind his back, Elize tried to assist Chazz by trying to think of any clues in her room, given that they are in her room at the moment. She glanced around for a while, but found nothing of the sort that could provide as a clue.

"I'm sorry...I can't think of anything that might help you, Chazz," sighed Elize in defeat.

"Come to think of it, why was this young lady's Spirit Key the only one left alone?" wondered Zaloog.

"That's because, I sorta hid it somewhere else besides from under the bed. I got a little cautious and decided that was for the best. I-I'm sorry..."

Banner shook his head, patting Elize on the head. "No, no! This is actually a good thing! At least the thief did not steal all of our Spirit Keys! This way, the world can still be saved as long as there's one key left!"

"I-I'm honestly not sure whether to take that as a compliment or be nervous that the fate of the entire world rests in the final key I have."

"Young lady, may I ask where you hid your Spirit Key?" asked Zaloog, interested.

"I'm not sure I should say that right now," said Elize nervously. "Chazz did mention that the thief could be somewhere in this room, so I don't want to risk anything."

"Yeah, best not to say anything for now," agreed Chazz. "We don't want another incident like this happening."

"Well, without any evidence, I guess we won't know who did it," sighed Banner, having given up on the case. Well, at least if there was one Spirit Key remaining in safe hands, it was fine.

Mind snapping into place, Chazz pointed his finger at four people; Gorg, Officer Cliff, Chick, and the nurse. "He did it! And him! And him! And her!"

Mildly startled for a moment, the accused four managed to calm down. "Uh...you're basing this on what?" questioned Chick.

Angered, the nurse demanded, "Yeah! You heard everyone! You've got no proof! You've got nothing on us!"

"Oh, don't I?" spoke Chazz, smirking. He had already succeeded in his plan, and he was planning to unfold it here and now!

"Look, how about _I_ ask the questions?" suggested Zaloog, knowing that if he allowed this kid to continue playing detective, things were about to end badly for him and his own agenda.

"How about...we hear from them?!" Swiftly, Chazz fished out three of his main Ojama cards; Ojama Black, Ojama Green, and Ojama Yellow. "See, when we hid each of the Spirit Keys, I hid one of these cards with them! The three of them are my eyes and ears when I'm not around! And in my dorm room...I had these watching over mine!" Chazz attempted to make himself appear cool by suffling his deck before they accidentally scattered all over the floor. "T-the point is, they all saw who did it!"

 _ **"Caught ya red-handed!"**_ said Ojama Black, pointing to the accused four.

 _ **"Zoink! We did!"**_ Ojama Green said.

Bouncing into the conversation, Ojama Yellow said, _**"You're so busted!"**_

"Who told you what?" Zaloog seemed confused, along with the other four, as they didn't appear to have the ability to see Duel Spirits unlike some few in the room.

"Well, maybe you can't see them, but I can!" shouted Chazz. "And I know they're behind this, detective!"

Zaloog merely chuckled darkly at Chazz's correct interpretation. "You're mistaken. It's not just them. It's me, too!"

"WHAT?!"

"That's right, my children! All of us are in on it! We are the criminal ring known as..."

Throwing away their costumes, the detective along with the four supposed thieves moved into position, posing as they were garbed in dark brown clothing meant for stealth and thievery. "THE DARK SCORPIONS!"

"Uh...sorry, never heard of you," admitted Jaden, Alexis, Chumley, Syrus, Banner, Chazz, and Elize curiously with question marks printed above their heads.

Zaloog didn't seem surprised by their reply. "Of course you haven't! We've been deep undercover in your school for years, now! Waiting for a chance to nab those keys!"

"And now, the Scorpions finally have them!" cried out all members of the Dark Scorpions, thinking their goal was accomplished.

"Except you're missing a crucial detail-No, _two,_ in fact!" replied Chazz confidently. "First off, you still don't have Elize's key, so that doesn't exactly count as mission accomplished. Second, to use them, you still have to beat us in a duel!"

"Oh...Of course! That's it! Why the keys didn't work! Ha!" laughed Zaloog before putting on his duel disk, determined to obtain the Dark Scorpions' goals. "We have to beat them in a duel!"

"Got that right! So, let's go, Shadow Rider!" said Chazz, determined to beat the leader once and for all. Also, to get payback for them breaking down his door.

* * *

 _Outside..._

"Guys, I'm a little worried!" said Elize as she and her friends watched as Chazz and Zaloog prepared to face each other in a duel for the Spirit Keys. "What if Chazz loses?"

"Nah, no worried, Elly! He'll be fine! He's strong, after all!" assured Jaden, petting her on the head.

"Besides, it's not exactly the end of the world if Chazz loses! After all, the Dark Scorpions need your Spirit Key as well, so it's more than likely they'll duel you next should he lose!" replied Banner cheerfully.

"Uh..."

"That's not very encouraging!" yelled Alexis, placing her hands on Elize's shoulders protectively.

"DUEL!" Both duelists appeared to be ready as the duel quickly commenced for the two of them.

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Zaloog - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Chazz - 4000 LP**

"I'll win this as easy as I stole your keys!" said Zaloog, beginning the start of the duel. "First, I'll summon Golem Sentry in Defense Mode!"

Golem Sentry - (EARTH/Rock) - LV4 - (800/1800)

"Next, I place a card facedown! That'll do for now!"

"My turn! Ha!" shouted Chazz, drawing his card. "I play the Spell card, Fiend Sanctuary! With this card, I can Special Summon a Metal Fiend Token to the field!"

Metal Fiend Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (0/0)

"And now, I'll sacrifice my Fiend Token to Special Summon Armed Dragon LV5!"

Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)

"Go, Armed Dragon! Use those arms to destroy that Golem! Spiked Spinner!"

Thrashing his spiked fists forward in a rotational direction, Armed Dragon LV5 took little to no effort in destroying the defensive Monster, creating a bit of an explosion.

"Alright, and for my next move, I'm gonna place two facedowns! Then, I'll use my dragon's special ability, and it's a big one! Now, evolve! Armed Dragon LV7! Now I end my turn!"

Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (2800/1000)

"Wow! That dragon's huge!" gasped Elize.

Jaden nodded, agreeing, "Got that right! On the turn that Armed Dragon LV5 destroys a Monster in battle, well then, you can trade him in for a LV7 Monster!"

"Level him up all you want!" called Zaloog. "It won't matter! And you're about to see why! My draw! First, I play Pot of Greed! It lets me draw two more cards from my deck! Just what I wanted! I summon the one and only Don Zaloog! And when I mean one and only, I do mean it! For you see, my children, I am him!"

Witnessing Zaloog stepping onto the playing field confidently, that just raised further questions for everyone. Detective Zaloog was actually a trading card from the beginning? But that would have to mean he was a Duel Spirit the entire time!

Don Zaloog - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1500)

 _ **"Well, this only peaked my interest!"**_ said Aussa, having watched what happened. _**"Elize, just in case, I'll check up on some info involving the Dark Scorpions. It may help out a bit."**_

"O-Okay, sure."

"Now, I play the Spell card, Musterings of the Dark Scorpions!" announced Zaloog. "Now I can Special Summon all the Dark Scorpions that are in my hand and onto the field! Now, Dark Scorpions! Roll call!"

Standing up while wielding an almighty battle axe, which was fitting for a muscular guy like him, Gorg the former janitor glanced around with a bit of drool running down his mouth. "Rolls?! Who's got the rolls?"

Dark Scorpion - Gorg the Strong - (DARK/Warrior) - LV5 - (1800/1500)

"He means to say our names, Gorg!" corrected Meanae, throwing her hair to the side to see more clearly. "I'm Meanae the Thorn!"

Dark Scorpion - Meanae the Thorn - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1000/1800)

"The name's Cliff the Trap Remover!" introduced Cliff, dangerously wielding a dagger to his side. "Guess how I remove them!"

Dark Scorpion - Cliff the Trap Remover - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/1000)

Leaping up and down excitedly, Chick cried out, "I'm Chick the Yellow! Six foot when I jump up!"

Dark Scorpion - Chick the Yellow - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/1000)

"AND TOGETHER, WE'RE THE DARK SCORPIONS!" The five members of the Dark Scorpions spoke together in unison.

 _'Losers,'_ Chazz thought, not daring to admit that out loud or else they would run into a pointless argument and waste everyone's time.

"Now, I'll play a Trap! Dark Scorpion Combination!" Zaloog said, activating the Trap for all to see as Chick stood aside. "You see, on the first turn that all the Dark Scorpions are out, this Trap allows all of us to attack you directly! And for every one of those attacks, you lose 400 Life Points! Now, let him have it!"

Once the Trap settled its magic, the five Dark Scorpions leapt into action towards Chazz, avoiding Armed Dragon LV7 safely before striking out at all directions, giving it everything they've got into their attacks.

"Take this! Thorn Whip!"

"Double Blast Attack!"

"Scorpion Slice!"

"Mallet Mash!"

"Hammer Hammer!"

Once all five attacks struck home at Chazz, the Dark Scorpions returned back to their side of the dueling field as Chazz winched in pain, having experienced the brutal force of all five strikes.

 **Zaloog - 4000 LP**

 **Chazz - 2000 LP**

"And there's more too!" started Zaloog, chuckling. "For you see, Chazz, now our special abilities go up against you since we all inflicted Battle Damage towards you!"

"Say what?!"

"That's right! So, first, a Monster on your side of the field returns to the top of your deck," explained Gorg.

"And then next, a card on your field returns to your hand," said Chick as one of the two facedowns Chazz placed down was magically back in his hand.

"There's more! The top two cards on your deck go to the Graveyard," replied Cliff as Chazz discarded the top two into the Graveyard.

"And then one card in your hand is destroyed!" said Zaloog, making Chazz to raise the cards in his hand as one of them vanished.

"And finally, a card with Dark Scorpion in its name can be added to our hand from the Graveyard," finished Meanae as Zaloog retrieved Dark Scorpion Combination from their own Graveyard.

"And I'll take this! Dark Scorpion Combination! The card that started it all!" said Zaloog before he and his fellow Dark Scorpions got into position once more. "And it'll end it all!"

"Stay tough, Chazz!" encouraged Jaden. "You can beat these guys!"

"Hello! Of course I can! Now, be quiet and let the Chazz do his thing!" snapped Chazz, irritated. "I play my Trap, Level Modulation! Now you get to draw two cards, and I get to Special Summon a LV Monster from my Graveyard without paying a dime! And I choose Armed Dragon LV7!"

Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (2800/1000)

Gritting the teeth at the fact that the Dark Scorpions have another problem to settle with, Zaloog drew his two cards. "Him again? You give me no choice but to play two facedowns and end my turn!"

"I hate it when this guy plays facedowns!" complained Syrus.

"Even worse, we don't even know what they are," added in Elize.

"I hear you guys," agreed Jaden, having been in Chazz's situation multiple times before. "This should be interesting..."

"It's my turn!" stated Chazz, drawing his card. "And first, Armed Dragon LV7's effect activates! By sending 1 Monster card to the Graveyard, Monsters with Attack Points equal or fewer than the one I just discarded are all destroyed! And the card I'm discarding is Despair from the Dark! 2800 Attack Points!"

"Hold it!" Zaloog shouted. "I play a Trap, Retreat of the Dark Scorpions! Now all Dark Scorpions on the field return to my hand!"

In a hustle, the five members of the Dark Scorpions rushed out of the playing field in a hurry, not wanting to get caught up with the dangerous effect Armed Dragon LV7 possessed, though their retreat would serve as a comical act.

Sweatdropping for a brief moment, Chazz grew serious and exclaimed, "Fine, I'll attack directly! Armed Dragon, go get him! Dragon Sonic Spear!"

Energy pulsing and flaring up at his right palm, Armed Dragon LV7 then thrusted his palm forward, firing the energy ball at Zaloog. Once contact was made, a gigantic explosion took place, injurying Zaloog greatly.

 **Zaloog - 1200 LP**

 **Chazz - 2000 LP**

"Oh no!" cried out Gorg and Chick.

"How dare he strike the boss like that?!" demanded Cliff, angered.

"Don't you worry! We'll get him back!" Meanae said, promising vengenance for their leader.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn!" finished Chazz.

"One lucky move! That's all! But it won't matter! It ends here!" grunted Zaloog, drawing his card after he had regained his strength. "I summon myself, Don Zaloog again!"

Don Zaloog - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1500)

"And then I'll play Musterings of the Dark Scorpions! Welcome back, team!"

Just before the Dark Scorpions could reunite on the playing field, Chazz had to interrupt their little fun. "Sorry, they're not back yet! I play the Trap, Ojama Trio!"

Right when the rest of the Dark Scorpions could step in, they were blocked off by Ojama Black, Ojama Green, and Ojama Yellow, who were relaxing and goofing off.

Ojama Token - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/0) X3

"Wait, why are they on our field?" wondered Cliff.

"So that you all can't be!" explained Chazz, causing the Dark Scorpions to revert their attention towards him. "You see, Ojama Trio creates Ojama Tokens and they take up 3 of your Monster Zones! And when destroyed, you lose 300 Life Points!"

 _ **"Sorry, pal!"**_ said Ojama Black, who was performing push-ups.

 _ **"Thanks for having us!"**_ said Ojama Green, casually picking his nose.

 _ **"I just love hot chocolate!~"**_ giggled Ojama Yellow, who was sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

Elize laughed awkwardly and sweatdropped. She remembered the times when she had a duel with Chazz and how many times he activated that Trap on her. It was sorta hard to get her Spellcaster-Types into the field, and the effect once they were destroyed was pretty devastating as well.

"So we can't come out? No fair!" whined Chick.

"I can!" said Meanae, having made up her mind about a new plan. "Go on, boss! Do what you have to do!"

Touched by her willing sacrifice, Zaloog closed his eyes momentarily. "Meanae...I'll never forget you for this...I play Dark Scorpion - Tragedy of Love! When Don Zaloog and Meanae the Thorn are on the field, I can send Meanae to the Graveyard to destroy all of your Monsters!"

Jumping up high in the air, Meanae swung her whip forward, yelling out a battle cry as her whip wrapped itself around Armed Dragon LV7's neck. Upon contact, electricity sparked from the whip and caused a massive explosion, taking out both Monsters.

"Avenge me, boss! Avenge me!" yelled Meanae before getting caught up in the explosion.

Clenching his fist and teeth, Zaloog nodded, giving a moment a silence for Meanae. "I sure will! I attack you directly! Double Blast Attack!" Firing two rounds from his pistols, Zaloog managed to deal some damage towards Chazz, as he was almost out of Life Points.

 **Zaloog - 1200 LP**

 **Chazz - 600 LP**

"And now my special ability activates! You have to discard one random card from your hand!"

It took one look at his last remaining card for Chazz to smirk in succession. "Actually, it'd be my pleasure! Because the only card in my hand is Ojamagic! And when this card is sent to the Graveyard, Ojama Black, Yellow, and Green all come to my hand from my deck!"

"Bring them out!" challenged Zaloog. "They don't scare me! I end my turn!"

"Yeah, well, we'll see what I can do to change that! My turn!" said Chazz, drawing his card. "Go, Pot of Greed! It lets me draw two cards! And next, I play Polymerization! Scared, yet? You will be after I fuse all three of these Ojamas! Do your thing, Ojamas!"

The Ojama brothers flew upwards until they bumped into one another, causing a bit of a fireworks-like explosion as their bodies merged. Once the fusion process was completed, a gigantic, white Ojama with a crown and red underwear hovered over the field while the Ojama Tokens on Zaloog's side jumped up and down and cheered for their king.

Ojama King - (LIGHT/Beast/Fusion) - LV6 - (0/3000)

"Now, I play my Spell card, Ojamuscle!"

After flexing his muscles, thus revealing his muscular form, Ojama King noticed the Ojama Tokens and commanded, _**"Ojamas! Come to Daddy!"**_ Extending his tongue, he wrapped the Ojama Tokens up, much to Zaloog's disgust, and swallowed them whole.

"Ojamuscle destroys all Ojama Monsters out! And for every one destroyed, Ojama King gains 1000 Attack Points! Oh, and since those were Ojama Tokens that were destroyed, you now lose 900 Life Points!"

 **Zaloog - 300 LP**

 **Chazz - 600 LP**

"And now, Ojama King's Attack Points will rise to 3000!"

Ojama King - (LIGHT/Beast/Fusion) - LV6 - (3000/3000)

"Now, go! Ojama King! Attack Don with Flying Belly Flop Drop!"

Raising his muscled arms, Ojama King leapt up high in the air like he was performing a cannonball, but instead, he collapsed on top of Zaloog. Not only did he flattened the leader of the Dark Scorpions, but also decreased his Life Points all the way down to 0.

 **Zaloog - 0 LP**

 **Chazz - 600 LP**

 **Winner: Chazz**

"No...It can't be...I lost...?" groaned Zaloog, dizzy and unable to get up. The golden eyepatch attached to his eye illuminated brightly as the rest of the Dark Scorpions tried to rush towards Zaloog's aid, only to disappear. The only things left behind were the golden eyepatch and the cards left behind.

"Well guys, guess that's one less Shadow Rider we have to worry about," said Chazz, picking up the golden eyepatch and Don Zaloog's card.

"Well, I say, good riddance!" said Chumley, standing near Syrus, who was kneeling near the cards and picking them up.

"That's what you get for trying to steal."

"Yes, and now the Spirit Keys are now in safe hands," Banner stated, returning to his room.

Still, things weren't fully satisified for Jaden, Elize, and Alexis. "But where did Don Zaloog and the rest of the Scorpions go?" wondered Alexis.

"Dunno, but Chazz seems concerned," pointed out Jaden. "Wonder why?"

Sensing the worry in his master, Maha Vailo clasped a hand on Elize's shoulder. **_"Do not worry, Master. They are fine. They have simply returned to the Spirit World."_**

"Oh, I see. That's a relief," sighed Elize before glancing up at the moon. This time, the enemy wasn't as dangerous as the last two, but who knows when the next Shadow Rider would appear?

* * *

 **Skit: Wisdom of a Thief**

"Guys? I have a question," spoke up Elize. "Won't Duel Spirits normally get punished if they go out the human world in physical form and cause trouble?"

Mystical Elf nodded. _**"Usually, that's the case, but Don Zaloog and his Dark Scorpions have used ancient dark magic from the Shadow Charm they had to assume physical form. There are exceptions to the rules, so I doubt the Dark Scorpions will be punished."**_

"But isn't dark magic...scary and bad? I don't really get why they wouldn't be punished."

 _ **"Just because dark magic was used doesn't necessarily mean the caster will always be evil. If a superhero used darkness to commit good deeds, would that make him a bad person?"**_

"No...because he used it for good, right?"

 _ **"Exactly. Well, the Dark Scorpions did commit a bad crime by stealing, but how things will turn out from here on is up to them."**_

 _ **"Hey, I managed to find some information about the Dark Scorpions!"**_ spoke up Aussa, holding a book of sorts. _**"I guess they're not that dangerous of criminals, but they still steal. They never murder anyone and are in it for the riches."**_

"So basically, they're not exactly that bad, but not good either. I guess I should apologize for doubting you, Mystical Elf," apologized Elize. "You did tell me not to judge someone by appearance alone."

 _ **"Yes, but I know that you will forget that lesson in time. Maybe in this case, it could teach you a life lesson."**_

"I...admit, I'll probably forget. But, I'll do my best not to!"

* * *

 **Skit: Snooping Perverts**

 _ **"Hey! Hands off my lotion! I need it!"**_ Ojama Black yelled at Cliff, clutching to his bottle of lotion close.

 _ **"You use too much of the lotion! Can't you just give me a little bit?!"**_ argued Cliff. _**"Oh wait, I'm a thief! What am I saying? I could just steal it from you anytime!"**_

 _ **"Don't you dare-!"**_

"Um...Is this a bad time?" asked Elize, walking up to the two.

Noticing one of the few humans who could see Duel Spirits, Ojama Black flew towards her, hiding behind her. _**"Ah! Elize! You're a nice girl, right? Then tell this bozo to lay off my lotion!"**_

 _ **"Are you kidding?! He has to share! In fact, that's the same product I brought before!"**_

 _ **"It's just a coincidence we have the same! Buy some more! Or better yet, steal some!"**_

Irritated, Hiita marched forward and stepped in between Cliff, Ojama Black, and Elize. A fireball rested on top of her palm, silencing the two bickering Duel Spirits. _**"Hey! Elize was talking! Now shut up or I'll burn you alive!"**_

 _ **"Y-Yes, ma'am!"**_ Both male Duel Spirits immediantly responded, backing away from the hot-tempered mage.

"I just want to know something," stated Elize. "Ojama Black, your card was placed under my bed because Chazz put it there, right?"

 _ **"Yeah, so?"**_

"U-Um..." Blushing heavily, Elize replied, "I do a lot of private stuff in my room. D-Did you happen to...see if...Um..This is so embarrassing...but...did you see me change?"

 _ **"W-what?! No! Wha, you thought I was some pervert or something?"**_

Shyly, Elize nodded. "You...wear strangely. You don't wear a shirt and all..."

Flaring up, Hiita turned to Ojama Black. _**"Come to think of it, it's inappropriate to wear only underwear in front of a girl, don't you think? Ojama Black, I think I need to have a word with you and your brothers-Hey! Don't you dare run away from me!"**_

 _ **"Heeeeeelllllppp! She's gonna kill me!"**_

Both Cliff and Elize sweatdropped as Hiita continued firing fireballs at Ojama Black as he ran away from her. "Mr. Cliff? Uh...were you the one who broke in my room?"

 _ **"Er...Yeah. No point in hiding it."**_

"D-did you open any of my drawers or something?"

 _ **"Nah, I didn't have time. I did panic when I saw that underneath your bed was empty, and I wanted to search for more, but it looked like you were going to wake up, so I got out of there."**_

Elize nodded. "Oh, I see. Well, I have to go now. Have a good day!"

After seeing her leave, Cliff sighed. _'Whew! Probably best that I lied. Okay, so I may have caught a glimpse of her clothes, but damnit, it was a mission from the boss to retrieve the key! Where did she hide it anyways?'_

* * *

 **Skit: Heroic Justice**

 _ **"...I see. Alright. I will inform the others. Thank you,"**_ spoke Sparkman, who had been in a conversation with Elize. Once the conversation finished, he disappeared back into the Spirit World.

"Hey, Elize," welcomed Jaden, entering his dorm room where he discovered Elize near his desk, where his deck laid. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, hello, Jaden," said Elize, bowing her head. "I'm sorry for barging in, but I saw that the room was empty and that your deck was here. I wanted to talk to one of your Elemental Heroes and tell them all about the Dark Scorpions and to beware of them."

"Awwww! That's a good little Elizy!" awed Jaden, walking over and ruffling her head with a grin. "You did pretty good!"

"Oh, it was nothing! I just told them what I wanted to say, that's all."

"Still, I was taught that information can help others, so that was still good! Want this sticker sheet I got from a cereal box? Apparently, it was some cereal prize, but I'm not that interested in stickers."

"Oh, okay! Don't mind if I do!"

* * *

 **Skit: Hiding Spots**

"Hey, come to think of it, we never did learn where you hid your Spirit Key, Elize," spoke up Jaden.

Elize merely took off her hat, and laying on top of her head happened to be her Spirit Key.

"So, that's why nobody could find it! It was with you the entire time!" gasped Syrus.

"Even though Mr. Zaloog said that it would be dangerous for us to keep the Spirit Keys with us, he and his friends couldn't have guessed that it was with me the whole time," said Elize. "I guess that counts for irony?"

"Yeah, we should probably put a different hiding spot for these keys," said Alexis.

"Why? I mean, no offense, but the keys won't work anyways if the Shadow Riders steal them."

"True, but more safety can't hurt."

"I got it!" exclaimed Chazz. "We'll hide our keys somewhere in our bodies! Alexis, hide it in your chest!"

The next second was spent with Chazz laying unconscious on the ground with a huge bump on his face. Everyone else stared at Alexis, terrified as she sported an angered expression.

"You know what? Just placing them around our necks is fine!" demanded Alexis, causing the others to nod frantically.

* * *

 **Whew! Read and review!**


	21. A Lying Legend

**Hi, guys! This'll be the last chapter before I update again! School stuff like that and all!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

It was just another day of regular class time with Banner, but this time, instead of teaching the class chemistry and alchemy, Banner was presenting a slideshow to the entire class. This slideshow contained information about duelists and Ancient Egypt, but the students figured anything was better than boring old alchemy.

"You all know Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba as dueling legends," Banner spoke, revealing sketched picture of two infamous duelists during his slideshow. "Far in the way of the very best of their generation!"

"And best looking, too!"

"They're total dreamboats!~"

"I like Mai Valentine!"

Upon recognition of the two famous duelists, the class immediantly erupted into a chrous of chatter. Topics of Yugi, Kaiba, and other famous duelists they found skilled or attractive quickly filled the classroom with only a few remaining students staying quiet and listening to the lecture.

"But you do realize, class," started Banner. "That there wer eother great duelists way before all of them!"

"How is that, Prof?" asked Jaden, curious. "I mean, Duel Monsters hasn't even been around that long."

What Jaden said was partially half the truth. Around 10 to 15 years ago, Maximillion Pegasus founded the famous game known as Duel Monsters, and upon making a contract with Kaiba Corporation, the Duel Monsters game became worldwide famous. With Kaiba Corporation's help, Duel Monsters became more knowledgeable with duel disks, thus beginning the start of the visual program where Monsters became harmless holograms for others to enjoy while dueling.

Turning to Jaden, Syrus decided to explain some things to him. "I guess you must have been asleep during that class. They used to play during Ancient Egypt times."

Elize decided to barge in on the conversation, supporting Syrus. "Yeah. I heard they used stone tablets instead of cards back then. Although, I'm not really sure how."

"That's right!" said Banner, glad to see at least two of his favorite students learned from their students. "And one of the best way back in those days was a powerful pharaoh known as Abidos the Third! Abidos was undefeated!"

"Undefeated?! That's so sweet! He must have been somethin' else!" exclaimed Jaden. Just the reputation of an undefeated person from long ago was enough to peak his interest, and that was saying something, considering he wasn't really interested in history. "'Course, it's a good thing he's not here today because that perfect record would go adios!"

Overhearing Jaden, Chazz merely smirked. "Hmph! Sure it would, slacker! And then you'd probably take down Yugi and Kaiba, too!"

"You think?" gasped Jaden happily, glancing behind him. "Well, thanks! I had no idea that you believed in me so much, Chazz!"

With a tick mark at the corner of his head, Chazz got infuriated at his response as his hands twitched, urging to strangle the Slifer Red male. "It's 'sarcasm,' got that?!"

"Well, sure!" Jaden replied, relaxing against his seat. "But, if you want to change your name, Chazz, you can do a lot better than 'sarcasm!'

"Grrrrr! You know what I mean!" Chazz shouted, unable to take it anymore as he wrapped his arms around Jaden's neck and swung him around while Jaden laughed.

"Guys...we really should be quiet," whispered Elize, sweatdropping before returning back to writing down her notes, trying not to let the noise distract her. She was pretty used to their behaviors, but time to time, she does constantly remind them to remain quiet during classes.

"Come on, guys! You're gonna get us in trouble!" warned Syrus with a smile. Even he couldn't resist giggling at Chazz and Jaden's playful fighting.

"Oh, yeah?" Releasing his grip on Jaden, Chazz switched tactics and began pulling on Jaden's ears, causing the latter to yelp in pain. "Wanna see trouble? How about this?"

"S-Stop!" laughed Syrus. "He's gonna hear us!"

"He sure will!" Banner called out, glancing up at the three from his position with a somewhat creepy smile. "You can continue...in detention!"

"Aww man! Fifth time this week!"

 _'I figured that they might get in trouble again. Okay, I have to save their dinner. Again,'_ thought Elize, sweatdropping.

* * *

 _That night..._

"..."

Elize was all alone in the Slifer Red Dorm dining hall, where the other students have left once they finished their dinner. In front of her laid four trays of untouched food. Her stomach grumbled for perhaps the third time that evening before she wrapped an arm around her empty stomach. She had been saving up four dinners and hasn't even touched her own share of the food, for she wanted to wait for the others to come back from detention.

"Elize?" called out Banner, having entered the dining hall. "What are you still doing here?"

"Hmm?" Glancing up tiredily, Elize spotted her dorm teacher and waved lightly. "Oh, hello, Professor Banner. I'm just waiting for Jaden and the others to show up."

Banner sighed in exasperation. He understood that Elize had good intentions, waiting for her friends to arrive so they could all eat together. Still, Elize could take some things seriously and a bit overboard, like awaiting for a long time while practically starving herself.

"Elize, I'm sure it'll be fine. How about you and I eat together with Pharaoh?"

"But..." Glancing at the door, Elize spoke, "What about Jaden and the others? I don't want their food to get cold."

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll heat it up when they get back. Besides, I don't believe they would want you to starve yourself. I know Pharaoh wouldn't!" Placing Pharaoh down on the ground, Banner watched as his cat trotted up to Elize, nuzzling his face against her leg.

Kneeling down, Elize rubbed his fur and smiled. "Okay, you're right, Professor Banner. I'm sorry for the trouble."

Within a few minutes, Elize and Banner seated in a different table with their dinner right in front of them as they sat across each other. Banner had to admit to himself that it was nice eating with a student. Bonus since Pharaoh was with them as well.

Unfortunately, their dinner had to interrupted when a bunch of mummies broke down the dining hall door, invading the room in mere seconds.

"Whaaa?! Mummies?!" cried out Banner, frightened as he and Elize stood up instantly. Pharaoh shrieked and leapt into his master's arms, shivering in fear.

"Spirit Key...Must...have...Spirit Key..." Some of the mummies murmured, loud enough for the two to hear.

 _'Are they here because they need my Spirit Key? Oh no!'_ thought Elize, gripping the Spirit Key wrapped around her neck. _'Does that mean the others are in danger, too?! For now, I should protect Professor Banner!'_

"Professor Banner! I'll protect you!" she declared, standing in front of Banner and shielding him with her arm as she put her duel disk on for protection. Before anything could happen, however, a bright light engulfed the both of them, causing them to black out.

Upon waking up, Elize grimanced a bit as she felt a bit of a headache coursing through her head once she sat up. She blinked several times and shook her head, hoping it would cause the headache to disappear. No such luck. The surface below her was tough and golden-looking.

"Elize? Are you okay?"

Turning to the source of the concerned voice, Elize saw that Alexis was the first to speak towards her with Banner, Zane, Syrus, and Chazz right near her. Laying right next to her was Jaden, who appeared to still be out cold.

"What happened?" asked Elize, crawling towards the ground. "And where are we?"

"My guess is that we're on the flying airship we saw earlier," stated Zane.

"Airship? I didn't see an airship."

Banner nodded in agreement. "Yes, both me and Elize were inside the dining hall when mummies attacked us, so the airship you all saw must have occured outside."

"Oh! Professor Banner! Are you alright? I'm sorry I couldn't help much back then," apologized Elize, feeling sorry. She thought that in a way, part of his capture was her fault.

The cat-loving professor shook his head. "No, no, no. This wasn't your fault. Whoever did this to us had to have been a Shadow Rider, that's for sure."

"Alright...but how did everyone else get here?"

"Some mummies got the better of us!" told Chazz, irritated. "They caught us off guard and knocked us out! And next thing we knew, we were on top of some flying ship out of nowhere!"

"Ngh..." His mind straining to awaken, Jaden sat up and glanced around, puzzled. "Where am I...?"

"Welcome back, Jaden," said Zane.

"Huh? What the...? Professor? Elize?"

Elize guessed that Jaden was with Chazz and the others except for Banner when he was knocked unconscious, so she decided to explain things to make things less confusing. "Me and Professor Banner weren't really there when you guys got captured, but we were in a separate area. Oh! Come to think of it, the mummies did want my Spirit Key."

Zane nodded, having confirmed the theory in his mind to be true. "Yes, that must be how they found all of us."

A strange ringing sound, similar to a traditional gong, rang across the entire airship, alerting the others that something big was about to happen. The group rushed towards the center of the airship where a platform laid before them, surrounding by Egyptian guards and soldiers. At the end of the platform appeared to be a royal Egyptian masked pharaoh sitting on a throne.

Noticing the humans hiding behind the platform, the masked pharaoh called out, "Hello, there!"

Yelling out in surprise and fear, Banner fell backwards and had presumably fainted. "Ah! Professor Banner!" cried out Elize, kneeling down besides him and trying to wake him up with Pharaoh nudging at his shirt playfully.

"What's wrong with him?" wondered Syrus.

Chazz shrugged, uncaring for his dorm teacher. "Eh, just leave him be. Probably seen a ghost or something."

"What's this?" questioned the masked pharaoh, standing from his throne.

"Hey!" called out Jaden angrily, wondering why he had mummies capture them. "What's the big idea?!"

"That's not how one should address an Egyptian pharaoh," scolded the masked pharaoh, stepping forward.

Surprised, Jaden spoke up, "Egyptian pharaoh?"

"He looks just like the picture Professor Banner showed us in class today!" recalled Chazz as Elize stood up, seeing that Banner might be okay should they leave him be.

"Abidos...?" guessed Alexis.

Interested in the mature-looking female of the group, Abidos turned to Alexis. "You'd make a fine palace girl, my beautiful dove!~"

Digusted, Alexis shouted, "The name's Alexis, you masked weirdo! Now what's going on?!"

Zane could easily venture a guess, judging from their situation and the circumstances before them. "He's a Shadow Rider. He's after the Sacred Beasts, just like the rest."

Narrowing his eyes, Chazz added, "And it seems like the punk's got us outnumbered!"

"That's right, so just leave your keys and walk away," warned Abidos firmly.

"Uh..." Raising her hand, Elize spoke up shyly, "W-well, even if you have the keys, they won't really work unless you duel each of the Key Keepers and win."

The new information kept up Abidos' attention as he reverted to Elize for more. "Oh? And are you saying you're a Key Keeper?"

"M-Me? Yes...?"

"Good, then! Guards! Escort this girl and bring her up to the platform this once!"

"Wait, what?!"

As soon as the command was given, countless guards blocked any exits the group may have attempted to plan before some of them grabbed Elize by the arms and started dragging her away, causing her to cry out and struggle. Of course, the others did try to help their friend, but the other guards stepped in their path, blocking them away with their sharp weapons as Elize was dragged onto the platform.

 _'I'm dead! I'm so dead!'_ Elize thought, panicking as her body was shaking from fear. The guards were holding back the rest of her friends, preventing them from climbing onto the platform with Elize, so she was alone with Abidos before her.

Knowing there was no way of resisting the guards, Zane called out, "Elize, remember! Since he's a Shadow Rider, there's a good chance this'll be a Shadow Game! And that means your soul is on the line! Be cautious!"

Just the reminder of the consequences of losing made things worse for Elize as she was more frightened. "Y-Yeah! Okay!"

Abidos stared at the female duelist before her as his duel disk activated. Though she may be young and somewhat like a child, he would not show mercy even to someone like her. Besides, the only reason he chose her wasn't just because she was a Key Keeper, but also because she had a duel disk attached to her arm as well, so he thought perhaps she would be fully ready to face her. No matter, it was time to put her skills to the test.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Abidos - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

Deciding to go first, Abidos drew his card. "Let's see...first...I think I'll summon Pharaonic Protector in Defense Mode."

Pharaonic Protector - (EARTH/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0)

"No Defense Points?!" cried out Syrus, having expected Abidos to pull out at least a strong defensive Monster.

"And I'll lay down a facedown. Your turn!"

"Okay! My turn, then!" Elize said, drawing her card.

"Not so fast!" shouted Abidos. "I activate the Trap, The First Sarcophagus! With this Trap in play, at each end of your turns, I have to place a card from my hand or deck onto the field. First would be The Second Sarcophagus, and then The Third Sacrophagus! When all three are assembled, then your fate will be sealed!"

Elize was distracted and easily scared of Abidos' threat. From the looks of things, The First Sarcophagus was the first start of her troubles, so that meant that before the other two cards he mentioned arrived, she had to end this duel quickly or get rid of The First Sarcophagus.

Elize nodded, reminding herself she had to be brave. "Okay! Then, I set a Monster facedown and end my turn by laying down a facedown!"

"Then, I shall activate the effect of The First Sarcophagus and activate The Second Sarcophagus! Just one more of your turns, and my preparations will finally be complete!" reminded Abidos. "My turn! I play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two more cards from my deck! Then, I switch Pharaonic Protector to Attack Mode and summon Pharaoh's Servant in Attack Mode!"

Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0)

"Now, let's test how strong your defenses are, girl! Pharaoh's Servant, I command you to attack her Monster!"

Running forward, Pharaoh's Servant slashed with his weapon, only for his strike to be deflected by a barrier as the facedown Monster revealed to be Aussa the Earth Charmer.

Aussa the Earth Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 **Abidos - 3400 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

Elize sighed in relief. "Aussa's Flip effect activates! Now, as long as she's on the field, I can take control of one EARTH Attribute Monster you control! And I choose Pharaonic Protector!"

Raising her staff in the air, Aussa closed her eyes and allowed her magic to flow throughout the field as Pharaonic Protector marched towards Elize, kneeling in front of her as if she was his new ruler.

"What?! How dare you take control of one of my servants?!" exclaimed Abidos. "You'll pay for that, I assure you! I set a card before I end my turn!"

Elize nodded. "My turn! Draw! I activate Polymerization from my hand and fuse Aussa on my field and Eria from my hand to Fusion Summon! I Fusion Summon Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

The Spellcaster of the forest cloaked in brown and green while wielding a wooden rod leapt onto the platform once Eria and Aussa disappeared from her hand and field, ready for battle.

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2000/1800)

However, because Aussa was sent to the Graveyard, Pharaonic Servant returned to Abidos' field. Chazz facepalmed and yelled, "Hey, stupid! You just gave back his Monster! What are you, dumb?!"

"Ah! I-I'm sorry..." apologized Elize, whimpering. Okay, maybe she wasn't fully thinking straight when she played Polymerization, but all she was thinking about was beating Abidos as fast as she could.

"Ha! Now you've given me more of an advantage, foolish girl!" laughed Abidos. "Prepare to face your demise when your turn ends!"

Turning towards Abidos, it took all of Elize's willpower to act tough and look fierce. "N-not yet! I set a Monster in Defense Mode! From my hand, I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy The First Sarcophagus!"

Watching a huge tornado stirring in preparation to blow away The First Sarcophagus, Jaden exclaimed, "Nice one! If she manages to destroy that, then she'll be free from that threat Abidos was planning!"

"I don't think so!" said Abidos, holding up one of his cards as he sent it to the Graveyard. "I activate my Trap, Magic Jammer! It negates the effect of your Spell card and destroys it, so that means you won't be destroying my First Sarcophagus!"

Upon witnessing Mystical Space Typoon disperse into nothing, Chazz clicked his tongue. "Tch! That's just great! Now Elize has to figure out another way to get rid of that card!"

"I'm not done yet!" said Elize. "Forsythia, please attack Pharaoh's Servant!"

Forsythia raised her rod above her head before crashing it downwards to the platform, causing large roots to spring up and strike at Pharaoh's Servant, leaving him no chance to retaliate.

 **Abidos - 2300 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

The roots weren't finished with their assault as they lashed out and slashed at Abidos. Although his body didn't reveal any bruises, he was still injured as he fell to his knees, grunting in pain.

"You...can't attack me!" he cried out.

"Huh? What do you mean I can't? I'm allowed to. It's part of the rules." Elize then gasped. "Oh no! Did I mess up? Did I cheat without knowing? Was I not supposed to attack?"

Jaden shook his head. "Nope. I don't anything wrong with your play. I didn't see any cheating."

"Yeah, the guy's just complaining just 'cause he lost a few points," scoffed Chazz.

"B-But I am Abidos! The greatest duelist ever!" Abidos shouted, unable to believe that he was about to lose! And to a mere child as well!

"Wait, wasn't Yugi supposed to be the greatest duelist ever?" Elize wondered, confused. "I mean, he's the King of Games, right?"

"Elize, I think he meant back in his days," answered Alexis. "Now, Duel Monsters have improved and gotten more stronger since then."

"Besides...greatest duelist?" pondered Jaden, now not so sure about Abidos' huge reputation. "No offense, Abidos, but to tell you the truth, you haven't been dueling that great. You know, for someone undefeated, I was hoping for some...I dunno, some super sweet Monsters or wicked rare cards! But so far, I've been feeling underwhelmed."

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, his deck's no better than a starter deck! So far, this guy's been a letdown!"

'Looks like Elize is going to win this one easy," muttered Chazz, disappointed.

Truth be told, Elize really didn't notice any difference while they were dueling. She thought maybe Abidos was trying to play it safe by putting up some defense and waiting to see what sort of cards his opponent had. Of course, that was because Elize would have done the same strategy as well. But was Abidos really just testing her strength or was he really just summoning weak Monsters, hoping that their strength would be enough to take down his opponent?

Overhearing the others, Abidos reflected back on his days as pharaoh. To get stronger, he ordered the guards and soldiers to duel him, and with each duel he won, he felt himself growing stronger and stronger until he felt satisfied with his own strength. But facing a strong opponent like the girl in front of him...could it really have been for nothing? Was it that his own men were holding back because he was the pharaoh?

"Wait..." gasped Abidos. "Could it be that all my servants let me win?"

"Wow, what a giant loser this guy is!" said Chazz, feeling as though he had bought something only for it to be a total ripoff.

"You know what? I wouldn't mind having some servants like that!" admitted Syrus. Life as pharaoh must have been the life indeed!

"But...his whole life has been a lie," said Alexis, feeling sorry for the poor pharaoh.

Elize walked over to Abidos and gently offered a hand out to him, surprising him. "...Why?" he asked. Why would anyone try and help a pathetic duelist such as himself? No, he didn't deserve to be called a duelist. Not when everyone's been letting him win and not letting him learn more moral lessons while dueling!

"Well, I guess it's because I can kinda understand how you feel," replied Elize. "Maybe the exact opposite? I always thought that I was weak, but I didn't really have a problem with that. I just thought it was natural. But that was only because I was holding myself back because I didn't want to hurt anyone. That was wrong of me to do, so I learned my lesson and got real strong! Though...eh...not as strong as the rest of my friends."

Hearing this, the others thought it was plain ironic for her to say that. She just declared that she wanted to grow strong and that while she did, she thought she was still weaker than them. Of course, they wanted to tell her it was wrong of her to say that, but they decided to watch for now.

"The point is, I'm sure you can get stronger even if you keep losing! I lost a lot of duels and learned from my mistakes! Sorry, I'm only rambling on, aren't I?"

Even so, Abidos could sense the honesty and strength from her words as he grasped her hand, allowing Elize to help him stand up. "No, you're absolutely right. I must learn from my experience and get stronger. That is the only way I will truly be viewed as a true duelist! So I humbly request of you...Um...I apologize, but I did not get your name."

"Oh! I'm Elize! I'm sorry I didn't introduce you myself, Prince Abidos!"

"All is forgiven, Elize. I humbly request that you do not hold back against me during your duel. Use everything you have at your disposal no matter what!"

Elize nodded. "Okay! I was planning to do that anyways, even if you asked me not too! Are you ready to resume the duel?"

"Yes, come at me with everything you've got!"

Hearing the new resolution in Abidos' words, Elize turned around to distance herself from the pharaoh so that the two could have space between them for their duel. "Okay! I'll set a card and then end my turn!"

"Very well! I activate The Third Sarcophagus due to the effect of The First Sarcophagus!" shouted Abidos.

"Oh no! He's got all three cards!" cried out Alexis.

"Great! She could have left the so-called duelist wallowing in his despair and won the duel, but did she? Noo!" spoke Chazz a little sarcastically.

"And now, I will sacrifice all three assembled cards to finally Special Summon Spirit of the Pharaoh!" announced Abidos.

With the conditions said and met, the three cards disappeared with a golden tomb taking their place. The golden tomb opened up with an ancient pharaoh stepping out from his long slumber, wielding a small wand and sword at his side.

Spirit of the Pharaoh - (LIGHT/Zombie) - LV6 - (2500/2000)

A little rattled by the appearance of Abidos' ace Monster, Elize managed to say, "I-I activate the effect of Forsythia! During either player's turn, whenever a Monster is Special Summoned, I can add a Spell card from my Graveyard to my hand! I choose Polymerization!"

"It won't matter anyways!" said Abidos. "Now it's my turn to say my piece! When Spirit of the Pharaoh is successfully Special Summoned, I can Special Summon up to 4 Level 2 or lower Zombie-Type Monsters from my Graveyard! I have 2 in my Graveyard, and I already have 1 on my field besides my Spirit of the Pharaoh!"

With that done, two Pharaonic Protectors and one Pharaoh's Servant reappeared near Spirit of the Pharaoh's side, protecting him.

Pharaonic Protector - (EARTH/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0) X2

Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0)

"Now, it's my turn!" continued Abidos. "With this, my victory is assured! I shall summon yet another Pharaoh's Servant in Attack Mode!"

Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0)

"And next, I shall activate the Spell card, Thousand Energy! With this card, all Level 2 Monsters of mine gain 1000 Attack Points for the rest of this turn!"

Pharaonic Protector - (EARTH/Zombie) - LV2 - (1900/0) X2

Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (1900/0) X2

Quickly, Elize shouted, "I activate one of my Trap cards! Gift of the Mystical Elf! For each Monster on the field, I gain 300 Life Points for each of them! There's...7! Yeah! 7, so I get 2100 Life Points!"

 **Abidos - 2300 LP**

 **Elize - 6100 LP**

"Whoa, with those many Life Points, Elize is sure to survive this round!" cheered Syrus.

"Don't celebrate so soon, Syrus," informed Zane. "While Elize has a lead in Life Points, she still has a problem with Spirit of the Pharaoh. Mot even her Fusion Monster can stand up to something of that caliber."

"Attack, Spirit of the Pharaoh!" commanded Abidos. "Wipe out Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

Forsythia couldn't do anything but suffer under the wrath of Spirit of the Pharaoh as he slashed downwards and sliced her in half.

 **Abidos - 2300 LP**

 **Elize - 5600 LP**

"Now, Pharaonic Protector, attack her facedown defensive Monster!"

Firm and stronger than before, Pharaonic Protector was much more swifter, slashing at the facedown Monster which revealed to be Hiita the Fire Charmer. Though her defense was great, it was no match for the powered up Monster.

"Now, my Pharaoh's Servant, attack her directly!"

As Pharaoh's Servant approached Elize, Elize swifly countered. "I activate my other Trap, Call of the Haunted! I get to Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard in Attack Mode! I choose Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2000/1800)

Seeing that the opponent's Monster was about to slash her master, Forsythia protected Elize by jabbing the end of her rod at Pharaoh's Servant, destroying him.

 **Abidos - 2200 LP**

 **Elize - 5600 LP**

"Grrr!" Seeing that his other two Monsters available for battle couldn't match to Forsythia's power, Abidos was forced to back down. "I shall end my turn! At the end of my turn, all Monsters affected by Thousand Energy will all be destroyed, but it will be worth it as my Spirit of the Pharaoh is still stronger! And I shall retain my record!"

True to his word, Abidos' Pharaonic Protectors and Pharaoh's Servants disappeared into pieces and back into the Graveyard.

Elize breathed in and out, relieved that she survived thus far. "Okay, my turn! Hmm...Okay! I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two cards! Oh! I think I got a good combo! Maybe it might work!"

"Hmm? Just what kind of combo?" asked Abidos, interested.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Magical Dimension! This can be activated when I control a Spellcaster-Type! Now, I sacrifice a Monster on my field and Special Summon a Spellcaster-Type Monster from my hand! I Special Summon Blizzard Princess in Attack Mode after sacrificing Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

Blizzard Princess - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV8 - (2800/2100)

"Another effect is that due to Magical Dimension, I can destroy a Monster on your side of the field, Abidos!"

"What?!"

Before Abidos could finish, his Spirit of the Pharaoh burst into fragments. And after all his hard work and effort of bringing it out too! Perhaps this was another lesson for him to learn?

"Yay!" cheered Syrus. "Abidos' field is empty, so all Elize has to do is attack him directly and she wins!"

Elize nodded. "Okay! I attack directly! Blizzard Princess, please!"

Grinning, Blizzard Princess lifted up her mace and swung the end of it at Abidos, knocking him to the ground. Due to the impact of the attack, Abidos' mask cracked before shattering, revealing his true, handsome face as he fell down.

 **Abidos - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 5600 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

Hearing her friends cheering from the background, Elize sighed in relief. _'Man! That was so close! If I hadn't prepared for all that, then I might have really lost! Prince Abidos really was strong!'_

"Oh! Are you okay?" Elize ran up to Abidos and sat down by his side.

Groaning a bit, Abidos glanced up at Elize, contemplating on his defeat. "I...used to think I was the best duelist of all time...but now I know that I need a lot of practice before I could truly be a true dueling legend."

"Yeah...You were really close to beating me!" admitted Elize, getting back up on her feet. "I have to get lots of practice too if I want to get stronger!"

Smiling at the young girl's determination, Abidos stood up and faced the girl. "Elize...would you do me the favor of joining me back to my lands?"

"HUH?!" The audience and witnesses exclaimed, never once expecting something like this coming from the young pharaoh. Even Elize herself was surprised by this generous offer that Abidos was granting to her.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait! This can't possibly be that kind of proposal! Like...Like a marriage proposal!" cried out Elize, embarrassed as she shook her head frantically.

"Hmm? Oh, dear! I forgot that you are still younger than me! Well, you are truly admirable, so if you wish, we can get married once you are more older! Just think! Riches and fame with me!"

"Noooo!" cried out Syrus. "Don't listen to him, Elize!"

"Sweet!" cheered Chazz. "If she leaves, does that mean I get to have her room?"

"Hey! Chazz!" Punching him on the head, Alexis scolded, "Don't even joke about that!"

Elize couldn't help but give Abidos a kind smile. "I...I'm really sorry, but I can't come with you. I have so many things to do and accomplish. Besides, I'm sure you'll find a better girl than me! Yeah, someone who's more experienced than me! So, you have to do your best and wait for that person!"

"I suppose you're right," sighed Abidos, agreeing. "Perhaps I was being too hasty with my words anyways. Please, forgive me for upsetting you."

"It's nothing, really!"

After Abidos landed his flying golden airship on the ground, he took flight up towards the sky before disappearing into the clouds, never to be seen again after saying his goodbyes and apologies to everyone.

While the gang headed back using a forest route, Jaden spoke up, "You know, Abidos wasn't that bad! I mean, look what he gave me!" On Jaden's wrist was a Shadow Charm that originally belonged to Abidos.

"Um...I gave that to you, Jaden," reminded Elize. "Right after he gave it to me. You said you were interested in it, so I gave it to you."

"And it looks pretty cool! I can't believe I'm getting a whole collection of these things! Well, except for that pendant you have, Elize! You can keep that!"

"I don't get why Red Hat Girl and Jaden get all the goods!" complained Chazz.

"Guys, can we just go back and rest? I'm a little bit tired," requested Elize, yawning. "Oh, and your dinners are waiting for you back in the dining hall."

"Really? Sweet!" said Jaden happily as everyone returned to their respective dorms.

* * *

 **Skit: Reminisce**

"..." Elize's cheeks were flustered red as she was too shy to speak up.

Alexis noticed and patted her on the shoulder. "Elize? What's wrong?"

"..It's Prince Abidos. I keep thinking back about his proposal. I...I've never been proposed before, so this is a start. But...I feel bad. I think I hurt his feelings. I didn't want to, but..."

"No, I get it. You were kinda right to, anyways. You are way too young to marry anyways. I'm sure he'll understand."

"Yeah..." Elize nodded. "I'm still a little embarrassed by it. I don't want to marry, but...I'm happy that someone proposed to me. I'm sorry, was my opinion bad?"

Alexis shook her head. "No, no. That means you have potential in the future. Someday, a good boy's going to go out there and steal your heart! That way, you'll know when you truly love that person! Now is not a good time, though. You've got lots to do before marrying, right?"

"Yeah. Besides, even if I wanted to get married, I couldn't Not when I have Grandma and Big Sis to take care of. And Big Sis is awfully protective of me."

"That's good. It just shows how much she cares for you."

* * *

 **Skit: "Strongest" Title**

"Hey, so I've got a question," spoke up Jaden. "If Elize managed to defeat the undefeated pharaoh, does that make her the undefeated one? I mean, she did take his title away."

"Eh?!" gasped Elize, surprised. "Wait, I don't want a title like that! No way! You guys are way more stronger than me! I'll happily give the title away!"

"Nah, wouldn't work," said Chazz. "Besides, that prince was a fraud! He barely knew more strategies! Hell, I could beat him in my sleep, so that doesn't count! He's just on the level of a beginner!"

"Sad to say, but it's the truth," agreed Zane.

"That's fine with me. Besides, I have a lot to learn if I really want to get strong," said Elize.

"You beat Chazz before, didn't you?" reminded Jaden.

"To be fair, it was in a Tag Duel. Blair helped me win."

"Yeah! It doesn't count! A one-on-one duel does!" said Chazz, not wanting to admit his loss to Elize. "I'll get stronger so I can be the strongest duelist in Duel Academy!"

"But in order to do that, you must beat me in a duel," reminded Zane. "I look forward towards the day when you all face me."

* * *

 **Read and review!~**


	22. A Reason To Win

**Hi, guys! I so want to go to the next chapter of Gender Generation but I gotta do this one first! Awww, but no use complaining!~**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!~**

* * *

The grey skies rumbled and crashed down lightning from the clouds within as rain endlessly poured down. Powerful winds joined in the clash of power as the weather worsen throughout the late night. No signs of improvement over the weather seemed to be appearing anytime soon, and nobody dared to turn on the electricity in risk of a blackout throughout the entire island.

Cautiously walking down the hallways of Duel Academy while carrying a bowl of hot, steaming tomato soup, Elize slowly made her way towards the infirmary, flinching every now and then whenever a lightning bolt struck from outside. She was a bit sensitive when it came to loud noises, especially if they jumpscared her.

 _'I have to get this to Alexis as soon as possible before it get cold!'_ thought Elize, determined as she took careful steps along the way, trying not to spill even a small inch of the soup. _'Good thing Miss Dorothy prepared this beforehand! I hope she makes a safe trip back to her dorm!'_

 _ **"Elize, it's good that you're trying to help out a friend, but it's getting real late,"**_ yawned Wynn, rubbing her eyes as she floated alongside Elize.

"I know. I just want Alexis to warm up. It's really cold out here!" replied Elize cheerfully, though she was shivering a little.

 _ **"What if she's not here? Any rational person would head back to their room under this cold weather. You're wasting your time,"**_ scoffed Ebon Magician Curran.

White Magician Pikeru pouted and puffed her cheeks. _**"Curran! You're being rude again!"**_

"Well...if Alexis isn't there, I can always just give it to Atticus. I'll just write down a note somewhere and say it's for him," said Elize. "Yeah, that's what I'll do!"

 _ **"Hey...why go so far for this friend of yours?"**_ questioned Miracle Flipper, who was holding hands with Card Ejector as the small magician was trying to keep up with her brother.

 _ **"Silly big bro!~"**_ giggled Card Ejector. _**"Isn't it obvious? Because she's her friend!"**_

"Yeah...There's also another reason," admitted Elize. "I just feel bad for Alexis. I mean, she lost her brother and she found him again. I'm happy for that, but Atticus doesn't seem like his usual self, from what she told me. I thought maybe something warm would cheer her up!"

The Duel Spirits accompanying the young human duelist smiled and glanced at each other. Even in a cold situation like this, Elize preferred others over herself...truly, she was very kind. Though at times, she may be pushing herself, so they had to keep a constant eye on her.

Suddenly, all of them could feel a dark presence invading the entire island as they shivered in fear and horror. Whatever evil presence there was, it certainly was a dangerous one, but it didn't appear to be targeting their master. Instead, it must have come for a different purpose and it was close by; where the infirmary is!

Then, Doriado appeared with a serious expression on her face, surprising Elize and the current Duel Spirits. _**"Elize, be wary. I sense something dark inside the infirmary. It could be dangerous. I suggest that you turn back now."**_

"A...Something dark?" questioned Elize. "Wait, could it be a Shadow Rider?"

 _ **"Possibly. But you do not have your duel disk with you. You cannot face something this evil. And-"**_

 _ **"Hey! It's gone! The evil presence has vanished!"**_ gasped Wynn.

Elize let out a sigh; relieved that the supposed foe had disappeared. Come to think of it, wasn't Alexis and Atticus inside? The thought of them being in danger frightened Elize down to the core, worrying her. Still, she mustered up the courage to pass by Doriado to reach towards the infirmary with fear written in her expression. She gulped and used one arm to carry the soup bowl while reaching her hand out for the doorknob.

 _ **"Elize, wait! We don't even know if the evil has truly disappeared!"**_ recalled Wynn, worried for Elize. _**"At the very least, call out for them!"**_

Nodding, Elize turned towards the infirmary door. "Um...Alexis? I'm going inside!"

Silence occured, which troubled Elize. Without any further warnings, Elize twisted the doorknob and entered.

Clearly, it was dark inside, which meant Elize couldn't see a single thing. Resolving the problem with a flick of the switch, light illuminated the room. What Elize witnessed next nearly made her drop the soup bowl out of shock.

Laying on the floor unconscious was Atticus. No signs of Alexis or anyone else in the room.

"Atti-Ah!" Distracted by the sight of Atticus, Elize didn't see properly right in front of her, as she tripped at a stand. She stumbled and tried to regain her balance only to fall backwards clumsily as the soup bowl flew out of her hands and into the air momentarily.

The remains of the soup splattered all over Elize's clothes, arms, and some on her face before it bounced off her belly and landed safely on the ground, unbroken. Still, Elize was a bit messy herself as she tried to stand back up, groaning and rubbing her back in pain before walking forward. She glanced at the ground, trying not to trip again as she made her way to Atticus, bypassing some additional tomato soup splatters on the ground.

"Atticus!" Kneeling down, Elize took Atticus's head on her lap gently and tried to wake him up. She could hear his faint breathing, indicating he was still alive but he didn't seem completely alright.

For the next few minutes, the girl tried to shake him and call out his name. She even tried to call for help on her PDA, but due to the raging thunderstorm outside, no Internet connection was available, leaving that option out. Besides, she didn't want to leave Atticus alone because it was too scary to walk alone in the hallway and something bad might happen to the injured patient should she leave him there.

Luckily, some help came to her rescue when Jaden and the others barged in suddenly. "Atticus! Elize!" They cried out, surprised to see both in such peculiar states.

"Elize! Are you alright?! You're bleeding badly!" shouted Jaden, being the first to rush forward. He took her hands and thoroughly examined them alone with her face as he was worried for her.

"Jaden! I'm alright! I just spilled some tomato soup on myself by accident!" assured Elize.

"Tomato soup?" Chumley and Syrus bent down at the splattered red spots on the floor before scooping some up and tasting it for themselves. "Yup, definitely tomato soup."

"Ugh! Don't just lick it off the ground! That's disgusting!" complained Chazz, disgusted.

"Never mind that. What's with Atticus? Is there something wrong with him?" asked Zane.

Elize shrugged her shoulders. "I-I don't know! He was like this when I found him! I tried to wake him up but he wouldn't budge!"

Hearing such loud commotion, Atticus struggled to stay awake and conscious enough to carry out his message. "It was...him...T-T-Titan..."

"It was Titan?!" gasped Jaden before frowning, confused. "Who is Titan?"

Crowler panicked and stammered back, away from the others as they focused on Atticus. Biting his nails frantically, Crowler thought, _'TITAN?! That's the name the Shadow Duelist that wanted me to take the check out to when I hired him to scare off Jaden! AND I NEVER PAID HIM!'_

"Can you tell us what happened with Titan?" questioned Zane carefully, trying not to force his friend so much of himself.

Atticus weakly nodded. "He took...Alexis...in the Abandoned Dorm..."

"Alexis?! She's missing, too?!" cried out Elize.

"Please...take me with you guys...I have to save...my...ngh! Little sister..."

"But Atticus, you can't! You're in no condition to be moving right now!" scolded Zane.

Using all of his newfound strength that came from the resolution of protecting his sister, Atticus stood up on his own two feet; trembling slightly as he made his way towards the exit. "I...don't...care...Have to...rescue...!"

No sooner that he took two steps did he collapse right there and then. Chumley and Jaden grabbed both of his arms and hung them around their shoulders to support and lift him up.

"Zane, let's just take him with us. He'll just keep being persistent until we do," suggested Jaden.

"Yeah. We don't have the time to argue anyways," agreed Chumley.

"Hmm..." Zane crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to think fast. If they bring Atticus with them, then he'll just slow them down but he could provide as a bit of a support for Alexis. Then again, if they just leave him, they can reach the Abandoned Dorm faster and help out Alexis before something goes wrong.

"Please, Zane! We have to go rescue Alexis right now!" pleaded Elize, tugging onto Zane's coat. "We have to hurry!"

"Alright, alright." Sighing, Zane decided, "Atticus can come with us if he wants to, but we have to hurry."

With no more room left to argue, the entire group rushed to leave Duel Academy's grounds and deep towards the forest, where they followed Zane who took the lead because he knew a shortcut towards the Abandoned Dorm. Jaden and Chumley were lingering behind because they had to support Atticus, but eventually, they kept up with the group.

* * *

 _Later, at the Abandoned Dorm..._

Being mind controlled by Titan, Alexis unconsciously made her way towards the Abandoned Dorm, trespassing onto the forbidden grounds as she climbed down onto the basement where Titan awaited for her. Once he spotted her in the same basement as he was in, he released his control over her, causing Alexis to regain herself as she glanced around before spotting Titan.

Recalling their previous meeting, Alexis announced clearly, "Alright, so we duel. And if I win, you restore my brother's memories! That's the deal!"

"You're impudent, at least," commented Titan. "But if I win, I get something too. Your Spirit Key and your soul to take back with me to the Shadow Realm! You see, dear, when you and I first met, I was but a charleton to the shadows! However, since being taken in by them, I am now the real deal! A full-fledged Shadow Rider! Let us begin!"

Titan kneeled down to toss an available duel disk to Alexis, wishing to fight her fair and square since she didn't exactly bring her own. Alexis accepted his offer and put on her duel disk, ready to face off Titan once and for all.

Just then, the entire group ran into the basement where they suspected Titan and Alexis might be there. "There they are!" called out Syrus.

"They're going to duel!" said Chumley.

"Alexis! We're here for you! Now, beat this creep!" encouraged Jaden.

"Alexis! Please be careful!" called out Elize, sensing something dark and evil within Titan. "I think that Titan guy's more stronger than he looks!"

"Ahh!" Realization hit Crowler as he now knew that Titan didn't come for him, but merely to duel Alexis. "So, this isn't about collecting that check!"

"What check?" questioned Chazz suspiciously. "What does that mean?"

"O-Oh! Nothing! Nothing at all!"

Turning her head towards Atticus, Alexis made a solemn promise to herself. _'Alright, Atticus. This one's for you. Don't worry, I'm gonna win your memory back here and now!'_ Pressing her deck into her duel disk, Alexis turned back to Titan with fierce eyes.

"Let's duel!" Both duelists yelled in unison.

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Titan - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Alexis - 4000 LP**

"Ready yourself for the shadows!" exclaimed Titan, drawing his card. "I summon Picador Fiend in Attack Mode!"

Picador Fiend - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1200)

"Then, I'll place one facedown and end my turn!"

"But not your troubles!" stated Alexis; her turn to draw her card. "I summon Cyber Tutu!"

Cyber Tutu - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/800)

"I thought we were dueling, not playing dollies!" insulted Titan.

"Yeah? Well, this so-called dolly is going to play havoc with your Life Points!"

Titan chuckled darkly. "It's true; she does have me outmatched. You'd beat my Monster easily if you gave her a power boost." _'Well, it wouldn't matter if she attacks anyways! I have a facedown ready to activate should she attack with me! And even if she doesn't attack, I can destroy her Monster next turn!'_

 _'Something's not right...'_ thought Alexis, questioning Titan's inviting attitude before widening her eyes in realization. _'Oh! His facedown! That has to be a Trap!'_ "I play the Quick-Play Spell, Allegro Toile! It gives my ballerina a little extra _kick_ by destroying one of your Spell or Trap cards on the field! This can only be activated when I Normal Summon a Monster, though, so this is the perfect opportunity!"

With brightly lit pink shoes, Cyber Tutu was more enthusiastic than before as she twirled faster and faster before lifting up a leg; a winged dagger being shot out and hitting the facedown card Titan had on his field, thus destroying it.

"No!"

"Now, Cyber Tutu! Take the lead! In this dance and in this duel, too!" commanded Alexis vigorously. "Because Cyber Tutu can attack you directly so long as you've got Monsters stronger than her current Attack Points!"

Shooting straight past Picador Fiend, Cyber Tutu danced her way through the dueling field before landing a roundhouse kick onto Titan before falling back. Titan cried out in pain before rubbing his chin, trying to smooth the pain.

 **Titan - 3000 LP**

 **Alexis - 4000 LP**

"Next, I place a facedown and end my turn!"

"Hey, Alexis is winning!" said Syrus, noticing the little fact as the duel continued.

"It's true," agreed Zane. "So far, her resolve to win for Atticus has proven to be tighter than Titan's shadow creatures!"

Even if that was the case, Atticus still felt uneased about all this. It appeared that Titan hadn't revealed his full strength yet and that things were only just warming up. He wished that Alexis could be careful, precise, but also quick about all this so that she could end the duel as soon as possible before anything bad happened to her.

Staggering back on his feet, Titan shouted, "Well, we'll just see about that! My move! Now, Picador Fiend! Attack Cyber Tutu!"

Seeing Picador Fiend firing a green beam, Alexis took this chance to counterattack and protect her Monster. "Sorry, but I activate a Trap! Go, Doble Pass! So now, I take the attack! Gah!" With the green beam changing directions, it made a straight hit at Alexis' abdomen, injurying her.

 **Titan - 3000 LP**

 **Alexis - 2400 LP**

"So, why'd I do it? Because now, you have to take a direct hit from Cyber Tutu!"

"What the-?!"

Retaliation for Titan attacking her and her master, Cyber Tutu delivered a fierce blow onto Titan, showing not an ounce of mercy as she put all of her strength onto that kick. Titan stumbled back, rubbing his chin in pain.

 **Titan - 2000 LP**

 **Alexis - 2400 LP**

"Wow! Nice one!" said Elize excitedly.

"Alright! You show him, Alexis!" cheered Jaden. "She's kickin' butt!"

"It's a long duel, both of you," reminded Zane, telling them not to go too overconfident. "Don't start celebrating yet."

Chazz nodded in agreement. "Yeah, just what are the two of you trying to do? Jinx her or somethin'?"

"S-sorry..." Both Jaden and Elize apologized shamefully, focusing their attention back to the duel.

 _'Okay...so far, so good,'_ Alexis thought to herself. _'I just need to give him a few more of those combo attacks and-'_

Though still grimancing from the pain he felt, Titan managed to smirk at Alexis; something that frightened and confused her. "Oh, confused? I was just remembering our first encounter! My, how the tables have turned!"

Alexis couldn't have agreed more, but this was because she felt confident in her soon-to-be victory. "Yeah, you got that right! Now, I'm not just some victim that got kidnapped and stuffed in a coffin! Now I can fight back!"

"No, dear. I mean, before you were the bait to luring my prey-to-be. But now, you are the one who's my prey! My target! And now, dear! I play the Ritual Spell card, Ritual of the Matador! And next, I sacrifice the Level 6 Summoned Skull from my hand in order to Ritual Summon Matador Fiend!"

An armored, fiendish foe took a battle stance as soon as he was Ritual Summoned.

Matador Fiend - (DARK/Warrior/Ritual) - LV6 - (0/0)

"A Monster with 0 Attack and Defense Points? Something tells me there's more to him than meets the eye," wondered Alexis, sounding a little annoyed and disappointed by how much power the creature possessed. Still, there could be something behind Matador Fiend's secret, so she needed to keep an eye out.

"Oh, there is," assured Titan. "So, keep a sharp lookout! Though, that may be a bit difficult to do after I play this! Difficult for you, that is! Not for me! I activate the Field Spell, Dark Arena!"

As soon as the field was activated, a large blanket of darkness overshadowed the two duelists and their area. From the outside, though, the others couldn't find an inch of any of the duelists or any signs of them anywhere. All they knew was that the field was entirely engulfed in complete darkness.

"What happened?!" asked Zane.

"I can't see anything in there!" cried out Syrus.

"Someone should go in there!" suggested Crowler. "Someone other than me, of course!"

Atticus narrowed his eyes, frowning as he took a better look at the dome of darkness. It seemed too dangerous to even attempt to touch it, and if they did, it might hurt them or worse. Best thing to do now was to see how things went from there.

Hands clasped together in a prayer, Elize bit her lip as she wished for Alexis' safety. As if responding to her wish, her Shadow Charm lit up, detecting the usage of another Shadow Charm. Elize stepped forward and reached her arm out to touch the dark mist.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Chazz, yanking her arm back before throwing her aside, away from the field. "It's too dangerous, you idiot! We don't even know what kind of effect will take place if we touch it!"

"Ow!"

"Chazz! You didn't have to hurt her!" defended Syrus.

"I'm just trying to teach her not to mess around with things we don't know about!"

"But still-!"

"Jaden!" said Chazz, turning to him and avoiding the previous topic. "You dueled this guy before. Tell Alexis how to get out of this jam!"

"Wish I could, but something tells me he's different now!" admitted Jaden. "The guy I dueled was a sham!"

"I concur...Why'd I bother hiring him in the first place?" spoke Crowler, making the others glance at him as they didn't know the situation at the time. "Ack! Why'd I say that out loud?!"

"Point is..." said Jaden with a serious expression. "This time, his powers are real!"

Rubbing her arm, Elize looked back at the field with a worried expression on her face, hoping that if there was even a sliver of hope for Alexis, then Alexis would take it and win for all of their sakes.

A little while later, black lightning crackled around the dome of darkness, startling everyone as they took a few steps back for caution. Elize yelped and nearly fell backwards if it weren't for Jaden gripping her shoulders from behind.

"T-Thanks..."

Jaden nodded, releasing her before attending to Atticus' care and looking back at the dome. "I sure hope that Alexis is doing alright..."

"Jaden..." Feeling that everyone was growing more anxious, Elize exclaimed, "Don't worry! I'm sure Alexis will be alright! She's one of the strongest duelists I know!" When all attention reverted to her, Elize grew embarrassed and scratched her cheek before looking away. "A-at least from my own opinion!"

Even if she turned back to her usual shy self, everyone knew she had said her piece and nodded to each other. Yes, they couldn't quite give up on Alexis yet. After all, what was happening inside must mean that Alexis is giving it her all.

Atticus felt a little better from Elize's encouraging words, but still grew concern for his sister as he struggled to reach an arm out for the dome. "I know it's tough, Atticus! We'll just have to hope that she's okay!" said Jaden.

"Oh!" Struck with a brand new idea, Elize looked at the dome and called out with all her might, "Alexis! Don't give up! You can do this! We're still here for you!"

Realizing that some words of confidence might help Alexis out of this, Atticus joined in the cheering. "Yeah! Don't give up, Alexis! You can still win! All you need to do is believe in yourself and everything will be fine! Lexy..." Even if his actions were small, it was the least he could do to support his sister.

Within a minute later, pink beams of light shot upwards from the various cracks now spread throughout the entire dome, revealing signs that the dome was breaking loose and about to burst.

"Hey, look! The shadows are disappearing!" gasped Jaden. Once the dome disappeared, all that was left was a dumbfounded Titan facing off against a much stronger Alexis. "And Alexis is okay!"

"Alexis! You're alright!" cried out Elize happily.

Focusing onto Titan, Alexis said, "And there's more! Matador Fiend's ability to reduce Battle Damage to 0 is negated, too! So, go! Cyber Blader! Attack with Skate Blade Slash!"

Grinning, Cyber Blader lashed out one of her bladed legs and slashed upwards at Matador Fiend, destroying him before proceeding to kick Titan for good measure, knocking him flat on his back.

 **Titan - 0 LP**

 **Alexis - 200 LP**

 **Winner: Alexis**

Seconds after Titan's defeat, shadow blobs sprouted out of nowhere and multipled, surrounding the defeated Shadow Rider as he screamed in agony and fear. He scoot back, attempting to run away, but eventually the shadow blobs managed to catch up to him and swallow him alive as he was forcibly sent back to the Shadow Realm.

Elize looked away along with some others. They knew that once one lost a Shadow Game, there was almost no going back. The only method of anyone actually returning from a Shadow Game was a tie, but Titan was the one who lost.

Once all was said and done, Alexis turned back to her friends, mostly towards her brother, who was smiling back at her after having regained his memories the moment Titan's defeat was assured.

"Alexis!" Jumping down from the ledge and onto the same grounds as Alexis, Elize rushed towards Alexis and leapt into her arms, burying her face onto her stomach as she started crying. "Waaaaah! Waaaah! I was s-s-so worried! Aaaaaah!"

Reminding herself that Elize was still a few years younger than her, Alexis' face broke into a gentle smile as she stroked Elize's hair. "I'm alright, I'm alright. But thanks...for worrying about me..."

Although he was happy about the whole resolution, Chazz was still a little annoyed by Elize's crying. "Hey! Stop crying! Everything's safe!"

Sniffling, Elize shouted, "N-No way! Go away, Chazz! You jerk! Jerky jerk jerk!"

Jaden chuckled. "Whoa, I can see that she's gotten a little more bolder. Wonder what she'll say next?"

"Oh, hush!"

After everything settled down, the group exited the Abandoned Dorm, hopefully for the last time as they didn't wish to appear inside ever again. They must have been inside for quite some time because by the time they got out, the sun was already rising for a brand new day; fitting for a happy ending such as this.

Once outside, both Atticus and Alexis embraced each other for their happy reunion as Alexis placed her head on his shoulder. "Atti...welcome back..."

"Thanks, Lex. For everything," said Atticus before both pulled away from each other.

"But, wait. There are so many unanswered questions, like how did you end up in the Shadow Realm? Titan said you did it for the power!"

"Believe me, Lexy. I never chose to go," Atticus replied. "One day, a few of us were told to meet at the Abandoned Dorm and then...well, it happened. You see, there was supposed to be a duel test at the basement. But instead, we found hundreds of those little shadow fiends! I couldn't escape! I was then brought to the Shadow Realm and kept! For months, they brainwashed me until I became this thing called Nightshroud!"

"But who? Who was it that brainwashed you?" asked Alexis.

Atticus shook his head. "I never did figure that out. However, the person who called me to take the duel test was...Professor Banner!"

Everyone gasped, astonished and shocked to hear the revelating news that they never quite expected. Banner was in on it with the Shadow Riders? Did that make him a traitor? No, there'd be no point because if the Shadow Riders succeeded in their objective, then the Sacred Beasts would awake and cause havoc throughout the entire world.

Just who is Banner anyways?

* * *

 **Skit: Limits**

"Oh, I have a question," Elize said, speaking to her Duel Spirits. "Couldn't it have been possible for one of you to remove the barrier from Alexis' fight with Titan?"

Doriado shook her head. _**"Unfortunately, not. Every Duel Spirit has a limit when interacting with the Human World. Perhaps I could have stood a chance in the Spirit World, but our powers are greatly weakened in the Human World. At best, we are able to communicate with special humanslike you do, Elize."** _

"Oh, so even you have limits. I'm sorry. I shouldn't assume every problem can be solved by you, Miss Doriado."

 _ **"It's quite alright. Only through certain conditions can a human and Duel Spirit break something as powerful as that magic Titan casted. And unfortunately, the conditions were not in our favor that time."**_

 _ **"Besides, it's not like you could have done any better,"**_ said Aussa. _**"Your Shadow Charm couldn't make a dent on that powerful magic because it was simply too strong. But I'm sure when the time comes, your Shadow Charm might help out and protect you."**_

Elize nodded. "Right, but I have to get stronger no matter what!"

* * *

 **Skit: Jerk, Moron, Idiot**

"C-Chazz?" stuttered Elize, nervously walking up to him.

"Hmm? What?" asked Chazz.

Bowing her head, Elize quickly stated, "I'm so sorry I called you a jerk back at the Abandoned Dorm!"

"Huh? That's what you're worried about? It's fine. I didn't really think of anything at the moment."

"A-are you sure? I was certain that I hurt your feelings..."

Overhearing their conversation, Jaden decided to join in. "Don't worry, Elize! Chazz is tougher than that! Though, not as tough as me!"

Irritated, Chazz grabbed the front of Jaden's jacket. "What was that?! Say that again! I dare ya!"

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry! You're not tougher than me!"

"That's better!" Satisfied, Chazz released Jaden.

Tilting her head in confusion, Elize spoke up. "Wait, didn't you sa-"

"Give him a minute."

"...HEY!"

"Run, run, run, Elize!" Grabbing her frail wrist, Jaden made a run for it as Chazz chased after his primary target; Jaden. Jaden craned his neck and stuck his tongue out. "Bleh! Jerk! Moron! Idiot!"

"Grrrrr! Say that again, Slifer slacker! Say that again, and I'll have more reason to KILL YOU!"

"Huh? But he was fine when I said it before!" reminded Elize.

Grinning, Jaden replied, "That's because you're way too nice, Elize! Chazz doesn't think of you as a threat! Me, on the other hand? I'M SO STRONGER THAN HIM!"

"YOU ARE SO NOT! GET BACK HERE!"

* * *

 **Skit: Getting to Know One Another**

"Heya, Elize, right?" spoke Atticus, walking up the petite girl and shaking her hand. "I'm Atticus, Alexis' older brother! We never did get a chance to introduce ourselves, so now might be a good time!"

"Oh, okay! I'm Elize! It's nice to meet you, Atticus!" welcomed Atticus.

Smiling, Atticus patted Elize's head. "Wow, you really are cute! Alexis talks a lot about you, you know! Says you're the cutest, nicest friend she's got!"

"O-Oh! Thank you...But, I don't deserve all that praise!"

Walking up to the two, Alexis crossed her arms. "It's good the two of you are getting acquainted, but you better not think of flirting with her, Atticus."

Shocked, Atticus said, "Whaaa? No way! Even I have my limits! There's no way I'd flirt with a kid!"

"I'm 13."

"Still seems like a kid to me!"

Sighing, Elize said, "It's alright. But thanks anyways. If you did flirt with me, I might have to call my older sis. She said to call her whenever I feel uncomfortable all over a boy. Then she'd say something about having contacts with the police."

Atticus seemed surprised. "Wow. It almost sounds like your sister's more scary than my sister, and that's saying something!"

Placing her hands on her hips, Alexis frowned. "What."

"Nothing!"

* * *

 **Finished!**


	23. Duel Monsters Spirit Day

**You guys wanted to see the costume Elize had for the Spirit Day Festival thing, right? Well, your answers will be answered right here and now!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 _ **"Ahahaha! My most favorite day of the year! Duel Monsters Spirit Day! The one chance I have all year to come out and play! And I'm not gonna let it go to waste!~**_ said a mysterious orb of light, orbiting across the island.

Students chat around and were roaming around all across the island to visit the three separate festival taking place; one for each separate colored dorm. The decorated festivals were being visted by countless students, with games to play, delicious treats to eat, and other activities to come by. Each festival was designed differently but mostly had the same activities with slight differences. Most of the entire student population were, interestingly, donning costumes resembling Duel Monsters.

"Your latté and tea are ready," announced a male student posing as a waiter, having set the two beverages onto Mindy and Jasmine's table. "Enjoy, ladies.~"

"What a cutie!~" squealed Mindy as she watched the handsome waiter walking away to attend to his other duties.

"Don't fall in love just yet, Mindy. It's Duel Monsters Spirit Day! We have a whole day of flirting ahead of us!" replied Jasmine, picking up her tea cup as she imagined meeting all sort of cute boys during the festival; presumably in their costumes.

"Get your Kuriboh Dumplings here! Kuriboh Dumplings!" called out one of the vendors behind one of the food stands. In the Ra Yellow Dorm area, their festival seemed to be focused more on the sweets and other treats as evident of their sales.

Two girls were trying out one of the treats as they were having fun during the festival. "What did he say? Kuriboh Dumplings, was it?" wondered one of the girls holding some cotton candy. "That's just gross!"

"No, just a little hairy!" assured the other girl, who had been trying out one of the dumplings for herself.

At the Slifer Red Dorm, things weren't completely prepared for the festival on their side but apparently they were nearly completed for their main event that happened once every year. Being in charge of the decorations for the main event, Syrus was strolling a paint cart, but thanks to Chumley's artwork scattered all across the ground, Syrus tripped over some pink paint cans and crashed to the ground, covered in dust and paint.

"Chumley, you're in the way of my duel arena!" complained Syrus, having regained his composure.

"Sorry about that! Art does have its price!" apologized Chumley.

"Art? What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm painting a poster to promote your big Cosplay Duel today!" explained Chumley, presenting the poster he was almost finished with; which had Des Koala and Des Kangaroo included in. "Totally 'licious, huh?"

"Yeah! Not bad!" admitted Syrus, impressed. "Although, if you really want to draw in a big crowd, there's one more picture you should draw! A big glamorous shot of the Dark Magician Girl!~"

"Hmm..." Thinking it through, Chumley nodded, though he still wanted to keep his favorite Duel Monsters in the center of it all. "I guess I could put her in the corner..."

"No! She deserves the whole poster!"

"But what about Des Kangaroo? And Des Koala?"

"Hello! They're not even real!"

"Not even Dark Magician Girl!"

"Don't you ever say that! Ever!"

"Okay, okay! Sorry!"

Having eavesdropped on their conversation, the orb of light giggled to herself before floating away to make her own preparations. _**"A Cosplay Duel? That's perfect!"**_

Meanwhile, Jaden and some of his other friends were still in dismay upon learning that Banner was somehow connected to Atticus' disappearance as well as potentially being a traitor to the Spirit Key keepers. They were all on the upper level on the Slifer Red Dorm deck, wondering what their next move should be.

"So Professor Banner's gone missing...that sure is strange," muttered Jaden.

"No kidding! Especially after what you told us about him, Atticus!" said Alexis.

"I really hope Professor Banner doesn't end up as a bad guy," sighed Elize.

Atticus nodded. "I wish that it weren't true..."

"But it is. _He's_ the one who led you to the Abandoned Dorm," reminded Bastion. "The one who lured you to the shadows."

"That may be, but the question is, why?" stated Zane. After all, they could be wrong about their theory about Banner being evil all this time, though it is a small chance.

"Maybe...Maybe he really wanted to test Atticus and those other kids," suggested Elize. "But something went wrong and he might have not known that the shadows were there."

Zane shook his head. "Unlikely. If that were the case, I'm pretty sure Banner wouldn't have chosen such a dangerous place as the testing location?"

"Dangerous?"

"I'm saying he wouldn't use an abandoned site. In that dorm, it was pretty much broken down. Dangerous things like boards falling from the walls or broken glass could have hurt the students. He wouldn't endanger their lives. Instead, he would have chosen someplace else."

Elize was a little taken aback. "W-well...that's true...But, this is Professor Banner! Would someone as nice as him do something so terrible?"

Zane sighed. "It just goes to show how naive you really are. Remember, you can't judge people based on appearances. Professor Banner may not seem what he appears to be."

Alexis patted Elize's shoulder. "Don't worry. I know it's confusing now, but you'll get it soon enough."

"Hey, I've got a question!" spoke up Jaden curiously. "What is Chazz doing?"

At the mention of Chazz, everyone looked down, spotting Chazz wandering around while waving a foxtail. "Yoohoo! Come on, where are ya, stupid cat?"

"What's he doing?" Jaden wondered.

"Clearly, he's lost his mind," replied Bastion, finding Chazz's activity odd without reason.

"Chazz! Hey!" called out Elize, waving her arm and attracting Chazz's attention. "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for Banner's cat!" answered Chazz. "'Cause if we can find him, we'll find Banner! That cat's practically with him all the time!"

"Ohhh! Smart move!" complimented Elize, allowing Chazz to resume his strange investigation.

Walking up to the others, Syrus couldn't help but feel Chazz's actions to be strange after watching him. "Has Chazz lost his mind again?"

"Hey, what's up, Sy?" asked Jaden.

Leading the group away, Syrus took them towards the official poster board both he and Chumley managed to complete; fully viewed and up for anyone to see. Having discarded the Des Monsters, Chumley finally agreed to paint two famous Duel Monsters, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl onto the poster.

"So, a Cosplay Duel? Sounds interesting!" praised Atticus.

"Tight idea!" agreed Jaden.

"So, who's dressing up as Dark Magician Girl?" wondered Zane.

"Sy, you do have someone, right?" asked Atticus, knowing lots of people would come for someone cosplaying as the famous female Duel Monster.

"Uh...Not really," admitted Syrus. "But, don't worry! I'm just using her to help sell out the duel! You know, advertising!"

" _False_ advertising, you mean?" corrected Bastion.

Looking back at the poster board, Syrus couldn't help but feel as though the others were right. Lots of customers would come just to see a cosplayer in a Dark Magician Girl costume duel. "Wow, I really didn't think of that! I guess I'll have to find someone to play the part, then! Like Alexis!"

"Yes, a fine idea!" agreed Bastion.

Jaden nodded. "Yeah, good call!"

"Uh...I could be the Dark Magician guy," offered Chumley. If his opponent was to be a Dark Magtician Girl cosplayer, he was all in!

"Well, will you do it, Lex? Come on, please?" pleaded Syrus, jumping up and down, hoping she would say yes. "Please, please?! What do you say?!"

"Actually, I already have a costume," admitted Alexis. "Sorry."

"Aww...Then, how about Elize? I'm sure even you want to be the Dark Magician Girl for one day, right?"

"Hmm? Me?" Glancing at the poster board, Elize took a look at Dark Magician Girl. While she may seemed attractive and cute, Dark Magician Girl's clothing was...rather revealing and the thought of her wearing one made her face red as she covered her eyes. "Noooooo!"

"Huh? What did I say?" wondered Syrus.

Getting a good idea about Elize's imagery, Alexis sweatdropped. "Er...I think Elize is too sensitive about revealing clothing. Besides, these aren't the type of clothing a girl her age should be wearing. They probably won't fit her anyways."

"Oh...Then, how am I supposed to find a Dark Magician Girl on time?!"

"Don't worry! I know someone who could be her! Er...she's not exactly image perfect, but she'll be the best you've got!"

Syrus nodded excitedly. "I don't care who it is! I mean, it can't be that bad, right?"

* * *

 _Later..._

"Aaaaah! I take back what I said! It is that bad!" cried out Syrus, seeing Dorothy in a Dark Magician Girl costume. "On what demented planet was this a great plan?!"

Having gathered inside the Slifer Red dining hall, everyone except Atticus and Zane explained the situation to Dorothy, who agreed to at least try and look the part of the Dark Magician Girl since she did mention she wears the costume every year. Also, this way, nobody would dare bully or tease her because she's part of the working staff. Unfortunately, they miscalculated her overweighted figure, making her look like a plump Dark Magician Girl.

"Hey! I just so happen to be a very good Dark Magician Girl! For ten long straight years, I might add!" defended Dorothy, slightly offended by everyone's reactions as she tried to strike a pose. "That's how long I own this costume!"

It certainly didn't help her case when the area underneath her armpit ripped, making everyone uncomfortable and unable to offend her by saying they no longer needed her as the Dark Magician Girl. They weren't that cruel and they certainly didn't want to be mean to one of the nicest teachers in the academic island.

"Waaaah! My costume duel is gonna be a bust!" sobbed Syrus, seeing that there was no other way but to select Dorothy as the Dark Magician Girl. Hopefully, nobody would judge her at all.

As Dorothy steadied herself and proceeded to walk around in her costume, more rips appears in her costume, exposing a little more of her skin and causing the others to be QUITE comfortable.

Finally, Dorothy sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Looks like this costume's no good. It's already been battered up. I'm sorry, Syrus. It doesn't look like I'll be participating in the Cosplay Duel."

Covering his eyes, Syrus said, "N-No! That's okay! Just change back into your regular clothes, please!"

* * *

 _Much later..._

Chazz was still in search of Pharaoh, and Syrus was in dismay while sitting on the outside deck stairs when a cry erupted from Chumley inside of the dining hall. Curious, Syrus rushed towards the dining hall to see what the commotion was all about.

"Help! Help! Aaah! Duel Monster! Please don't claw me! Please!" pleaded Chumley, being frightened of Alexis, who wore a Harpie Lady's costume with the talons and wings attached.

"Relax, Chumley! It's a costume!" assured Alexis, showing herself off a little. "See? I'm going as Harpie Lady! So, what do you think?"

"What do I think?" wondered Chumley before sighing, relieved. "I think I'm majorly relieved!"

"So, what are Jas and Mindy going as?" asked Jaden, seeing as the two Obelisk Blue girls were Alexis' best friends.

"Same thing as me!" answered Alexis excitedly. "That way, when we're all together, we'll be the Harpie Lady Sisters! It'll be so much fun! Anyways, what are you going to be, Jaden?"

"Huh? Me? Well..." Jaden may have bought a few too many costumes at the school shop because he wanted to try on each of the costume, so instead, he grabbed one part out of each costume and equipped them onto himself. From there, he had a mixture of other Duel Monster costumes, appearing like a wizard knight of sorts.

"Uh...And what's that supposed to be?" asked Syrus, having no clue what his best buddy was disguised as.

"Well, I wanted to be a Duel Monster, so I just took a couple of pieces from each of them!"

"Ahaha...I guess at least no one will have the same costume as you," admitted Alexis, sweatdropping. "By the way, where's Elize?"

"H-Here!" Her voice appeared to be coming from the kitchen, though it sounded more timid than usual.

"What are you doing? Come out of there!"

"I-I can't! I'm too embarrassed!"

Jaden decided to enter the kitchen, intent on bringing the girl out even if it meant dragging her out by force. Chumley, Syrus, and Alexis wanted to enter as well but crowding Elize might be too much, so they decided to allow Jaden to handle it.

"Eh? That's what you're worried about? You're so cute!"

"I-I'm not that cute!"

"Oh, come on! Everyone definitely has to see you!"

"Nooooo!"

Forcing her alongside him by dragging her by the arm, Jaden then lightly pushed Elize in front of him. Elize was wearing an orange dress-like robe with an orange cape attached along with a purple wizard's hat on top of her head, resembling that of the Dark Magician's hat.

"Oooohhh!~ You're so cute!~" squealed Alexis, picking up Elize and whirling around after embracing her.

"Ah! Alexis! You're squeezing me too much!" cried out Elize, struggling to break free.

"So, what kind of Monster are you?" wondered Chumley.

After Alexis placed Elize back on the ground, Elize answered, "I'm Card Ejector! One of my favorite Monster cards!"

"What about one of your Charmers?" asked Jaden. "Don't you love those guys?"

"I do! It's just...well, it's a long story!"

Metallic sounds kept stomping from outside as they grew louder the more they became closer. The one making all the noise happened to be Chazz, who was dressed up as XYZ Dragon Cannon with his Ojama Duel Monsters flying alongside him.

 _ **"Looking good, Boss!"**_ complimented Ojama Green.

 _ **"Really good!"**_ added in Ojama Black.

"Thanks, I know," spoke Chazz, taking the compliments. He grunted as he took another heavy step forward since his costume, no matter how impressive it looked, was still heavy.

 _ **"What a costume!"**_ praised Ojama Yellow.

The others, having heard the loud sounds, exited out of the dining hall and were astonished by Chazz's appearance. "Whoa! Chazz dressed up as XYZ Dragon Cannon!" gasped Jaden. "No fair! I want a cool costume like that!"

"But...you're already wearing different kinds of costumes," pointed out Elize.

"Er...that is Chazz, right?" questioned Chumley, rubbing his eyes to make sure his eyesight wasn't tricking him or anything. "Right?"

Moving around a little and bulging out his costume's muscles, Chazz bragged loudly, "Now _this_ is a costume!"

"It sure is the best one I've seen!" admitted Alexis, who had put on a magenta colored wig earlier. "Though, not the cutest."

Glancing over to Alexis, Chazz was practically flustered and drooling over her attractive costume. _'That's totally Alexis, right?! It has to be! God, she's so hot!~'_ he thought to himself.

"Uh...I don't remember XYZ Dragon Cannon ever... _blushing,_ " teased Syrus, knowing full well about Chazz's thoughts.

"S-Shut up!" Wanting to change the topic, Chazz turned around, trying to reach the duel arena with his heavy costume intact. "Now, let's get down to business and start this dumb Cosplay Duel!"

Seeing Chazz and the others arriving at the duel arena, the audience behind the lines surrounding the duel arena gazed in awe and were impressed by their outfits. They had a feeling that the main event was about to begin, so they started to sit down and await for it to begin as more people gathered.

Addressing to Elize, Chazz announced, "Since you're pretty the closest we have to a Dark Magician Girl, I'm volunteering you to be part of the duel, Red Hat Girl!"

Taken aback, Elize cringed, "W-what?! Why me?! W-well...I guess that is true...so, are you my opponent, Chazz? I'm so gonna lose..."

"Yeah, right!" scoffed Chazz, as if it weren't obvious enough. "I can barely move in this thing! I can hardly walk, let alone duel!"

Well, that was at least one less thing to worry about in Elize's case. "Oh...Then how about Chumley and Syrus?"

"Sorry, I just ate," replied Chumley.

"And I'm the master of ceremony! I'm doing part of the commentary!" said Syrus.

Something flashed in the opposite direction they were all in as they heard a snapping sound. Twisting around, they saw Atticus with his camera, having snapped a picture of Alexis. "What are you doing?"

"You know, just big brother stuff!~" chirped Atticus. "Like taking embarrassing, but cute photos of you! Then I can show Mom and Dad later! And Uncle Doug and Aunt Gail and cousin Alana!" Eyes widening, he ducked just in time to avoid a swipe of Alexis' claws before making a run for it with the camera safely in his hands.

"You're not showing anyone those! Gimme that camera!" demanded Alexis, giving chase as Atticus managed to snag a few more pictures of her.

Elize sweatdropped. "S-Show we help them?"

"I'm sure they'll be fine!" said Jaden. "If you've got nobody else to duel, then I'm-!"

"Ooh! Ooh! Can I duel?! Please?!"

Hearing an energetic voice from behind, the group saw a beautiful young girl dressed up in the Dark Magician Girl costume, greatly resembling her. Soon, the audience began to notice the Dark Magician Girl and muttered amongst themselves, commenting how beautiful and pretty she truly was.

Even Chazz was a little enticed by her beauty. "C-Can you what? Wait, duel? Definitely! Absolutely! Sure! As organizer of this event, I say yes!"

"Awww! I wanted to duel Elize, though!" whined Jaden.

Elize scratched at her cheek awkwardly. "I mean...we can always duel another time, Jaden. Though, I'd probably lose anyways..."

"Nah, it's alright. Can't win them all, anyways!" Jaden then took off Elize's wizard hat and ruffled her hair before prompting it back on top. "Now, go out there and have fun!" To encourage her further, he pushed her towards Dark Magician Girl.

Elize stumbled forward and found herself staring at Dark Magician Girl, who smiled and winked at her. "No need to be shy! You're pretty cute after all!~"

Feeling her cheeks redden, Elize took a few steps back, placing her cool palms onto her cheeks as she looked away. "T-Thanks..."

Meanwhile, Elize's Duel Spirits had gathered and merged themselves with the crowd, wanting to see the Cosplay Duel that involved their young mistress. Seeing how it was a special day for not only humans, but for spirits as well, those with good intentions are allowed to take physical form and venture into the human world for at least a day.

"When's the event gonna start? I just can't wait!" complained Hiita, crossing her arms.

"Relax, Hiita! I'm sure it'll begin soon!" assured Eria, who seemed to be in an unusually happy mood.

"You're just happy because you got to flirt with a lot of boys and they did things for you!"

"I didn't think you'd be the jealous type, Hiita!~ Well, considering you're irritable most of the time, that shouldn't be surprising!~"

"SAY THAT AGAIN!"

"You two really need to calm down," sighed Aussa as she was reading a book.

"Y-Yes...I'm sure Elize wouldn't want us fighting during her duel," spoke Wynn softly. "I mean, we do fight, but in duels only..."

"I don't care what's going on so long as I'm with my darling Dharc!~' sang Lyna, squeezing Dharc's arm and rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.

"Gah! You're too close!" cried out Dharc.

On the other side of the crowd, Bastion, Crowler, and Zane just arrived to see the main event about to begin, with Bastion being the only one of the three to wear a costume.

"My, not a bad turnout! Just who is dueling in this match?" Crowler wondered.

"Looks like...Elize and what appears to be the Dark Magician Girl!" answered Bastion, surprised as he saw the two female duelists getting ready as they stood on the main duel arena area on opposite sides.

"Dark Magician Girl? Don't be ridiculous! There's no such-" Like all the other boys, Crowler instantly became infatuated with the beauty the Dark Magician Girl has shown. "Why look! It's Dark Magician Girl! I saw her first! I saw her first!"

 _ **"**_ **Syrus! Where are you?!"** yelled Chazz through the speaker intercom.

Syrus, who was crying tears of joy over the sudden turn of events, didn't appear as though he heard Chazz as he began chanting to himself, "Alright, Sy! Just stay calm! Just play it cool! You won't be too obvious! I'll let her know that you're interested, not desperate-!"

 **"SYRUS! QUIT GOING GAGA OVER DARK MAGICIAN GIRL AND COME TO THE COMMENTATOR BOOTH! Wha, are you just gonna stare at her all day?!"**

"Waah!" cried out Syrus; his ears still ringing from Chazz's loud outburst as he rushed towards the commentator booth, where Chazz was. With Chazz at his side, Syrus grabbed the microphone and announced, **"Okay, then! Introducing today's main event!"**

 **"Hello! It's our only event!"**

 **"Oh, yeah! That's way better! Today's one and only main event; the Duel Monsters Cosplay Duel! Hosting Mr. Chazz-It-Up Princeton and myself, Syrus! Syrus Truesdale! How are ya doing?"**

Already, the crowd was starting to lose interest in the commentary as they wanted the more exciting part to begin, meaning the duel.

"Just get on with it, ya bozos!"

"Yeah, hurry up!"

"We wanna see the duel!"

"Get it over with already!"

Sensing Chazz's irritation, Syrus tried to ease everyone by saying, **"Oh! Fair enough! Oh look, the duelists have just entered the arena!"**

 **"What do you mean? They've been there for ten minutes, now!"** corrected Chazz.

Ignoring the oversized XYZ Dragon Cannon user, Syrus proceeded with the following. **"On my far right, dressed up as Card Ejector, is Elize Simington! Give her a round of applause!"**

Noticing her side glancing over to her, Elize hid her face behind her wizard hat and waved a little while peering out a bit. "H-hello! I-I'm sorry!"

The crowd awed at her cute attempt of introducing herself to them as they applauded for her, noting she did her best. Elize sighed and placed her hat back, trying to focus on the duel than the crowd. The last time something this major happened was during the Miss Duel Academy pageant.

"EEEEK! SHE'S SO CUTE! SOMEONE TAKE A PICTURE! A PICTURE!" squealed Lyna, shaking Dharc back and forth by the shoulders.

"S-S-S-Stop s-s-s-shaking m-m-me!"

"Even if we did have a camera, we can't exactly bring it back with us when we return home," reminded Aussa.

"Why do you have to be such a killjoy, Aussa?" Lyna pouted.

"Nonsense! We must always find a way! I wish to have at least one human picture of Lady Elize!" bellowed Fog King proudly.

"You're attracting way too much attention! We should sit down and watch!" demanded Hiita.

"Awww! It's really sweet she dressed up like me! I don't deserve it!" cooed Card Ejector.

"Well, she wasn't originally gonna dress like you. You were just lucky," spoke Miracle Flipper. "She was going to be one of the Charmers, but something went wrong, and-"

Card Ejector was hiding behind Eria, glaring at him with sorrowful eyes as they began to tear up. "Waaaah! How dare you say such a thing to me, big brother?!"

"What did I say?! Gah!"

"Miracle Flipper...how dare you make a girl cry?" questioned Wynn, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Not you too! What did I do?!"

 **"To my far left, I'm thrilled to present the Dark Magician Girl!"** announced Syrus cheerfully. **"Isn't she just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?"**

 **"Nice job. _Real_ professional,"** spoke Chazz sarcastically.

 **"Aww, come on! You were thinking it!"**

"Hi, you guys! Hope you'll all cheer me on!~" said Dark Magician Girl, waving at the audience and winking at them, causing their morale for her to increase as they screamed and cheered for her much more louder than before.

Chazz sweatdropped, yet managed to avoid the worse as he had covered his ears just before the loud cheers could pierce through his eardrums. **"Right, well both of you! Get ready!"**

Upon activating their duel disks, Elize called out, "I-I hope you have a fun duel! I'm not that good though, so you should have the full advantage!"

"Haha! Thanks!" thanked Dark Magician Girl. "But you shouldn't let yourself down like that! Never know until you try, right? Good luck to you too!"

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Dark Magician Girl - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Alright, here I go!~" After drawing her card, Dark Magician Girl glanced at it before coming up with a strategy using the cards in her hand. "I'll set a Monster facedown and end my turn!"

Seeing how she was playing defense so skillfully, the audience cheered and howled out Dark Magician Girl's name, cheering her on as the infamous girl herself waved at the crowd.

"My turn!" said Elize. "I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards! I'll set a card and activate the Field Spell, Fusion Gate! It allows both of us to fuse Fusion-Material Monsters in exchange of banishing them! I fuse Hiita the Fire Charmer and Eria the Water Charmer together to Fusion Summon Syesha the Steam Charmer!"

A pillar of hot, steaming water burst from within the ground and dispersed immediantly upon the appearance of a beautiful red and blue sorceress wielding a staff. She opened her bright blue eyes as her auburn hair flowed in the air before readying for combat.

Syesha the Steam Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1300)

The crowd gasped and cheered at the appearance of a beautiful maiden whose beauty rivaled that of Dark Magician Girl's. Now they were having a debate and wondering who to side with; Dark Magician Girl or Elize?

"Okay, Syesha! Please attack her facedown Monster now!" commanded Elize.

Syesha nodded at such a simple command before launching herself forward, aiming her staff to fire at the facedown Monster when ready. Seeing as it was in immediate danger, the facedown Monster flipped over to reveal itself as Fire Sorcerer.

Fire Sorcerer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1500)

"Oh no you don't!" said Dark Magician Girl. "I activate Fire Sorcerer's special Flip effect!~ Now I just have to randomly discard two cards from my hand and I can deal 800 Points of Damage to you!~ Sorry!~"

Before Fire Sorcerer was blasted away by steams of water, she managed to conjure up a fire spell and sent it towards Elize, who took the force of 800 Points of Damage.

 **Dark Magician Girl - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 3200 LP**

Elize coughed and waved away the smoke before declaring, "I'm activating two of Syesha's special effects! Because she attacked, she has to go to Defense Mode immediantly! However, once per turn, I can recover 500 Points of Damage for every FIRE or WATER Attribute Monster on the field! I'll now end my turn!"

 **Dark Magician Girl - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 3700 LP**

"Nice one!" commented Bastion. "Not only did she recover some of her Life Points, but she's also put in the defensive as well since her opponent could pull out a powerful Monster next turn!"

"Those are pretty useful effects! I like your Charmer girl already!" giggled Dark Magician Girl. "But it won't be enough to beat me! My turn! I summon Magician's Valkyria in Attack Mode!"

Magician's Valkyria - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1600/1800)

 **"Well, this is a surprise! Magician's Valkyria makes it so that the opponent can't attack any other Spellcaster-Type but her!"** exclaimed Syrus. **"And since both seem to be have Spellcaster decks, this'll be a toughie!"**

"But I'm not done! Now I play the Spell, Dimension Fusion! By paying 2000 Life Points, both of us can Special Summon as many Monsters that were removed from play! Remember the two I removed because of Fire Sorcerer's effect? Well, here they come now! Another Magician's Valkyria and Dark Magician Girl personally!"

Magician's Valkyria - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1600/1800)

Dark Magician Girl - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (2000/1700)

 **Dark Magician Girl - 2000 LP**

 **Elize - 3700 LP**

Recalling both Hiita and Eria, Elize exclaimed, "Then I'll Special Summon Hiita and Eria, both in Defense Mode!"

Hiita the Fire Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Eria the Water Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 **"Wow! Six beauties at the same time! How exciting is this?!"** shouted Syrus excitedly and practically in love at first sight with the six female Duel Monsters just like everyone else.

"Curious," spoke up Bastion. "It came to my knowledge that Yugi Muto was the only one in possession of the Dark Magician Girl."

"And now I'll have my very own Dark Magician Girl attack your Syesha! Dark Burning Attack!" Yelled Dark Magician Girl happily.

Flying high above, the Duel Monster waved her wand in a circular motion, charging up a large mass of dark energy in the shape of an electrifying sphere before firing it at Syesha.

"But I'm not done! I don't like to play favorites and neither do my twin Magician's Valkyrias! Attack her two remaining Monsters, both of you!"

Separately, each twin closed their eyes in unison and charged their wands with magic power before firing at the same time, taking out Eria and Hiita.

"Ouch! I felt that one!" Cried out Hiita as she and Eric clutched their stomachs in pain.

Elise grunted as the explosions caused huge dust clouds to form up. She was grateful that her three monsters managed to protect her but now she was completely defenceless and she was up against three powerful Monsters all by herself.

"And with that, I'll end my turn!~" said Dark Magician Girl, causing the crowd to cheer for her once more for doing such a great job on her part.

"My turn then!" Said Elise. "Hmm...I'll summon Saambell The Summoner!"

Saambell The Summoner - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (600/400)

"Now I activate her special ability! Now I can Special Summon a Monster with the same level as her from my hand! I Special Summon Ebon Magician Curran in Attack Mode!"

Ebon Magician Curran - (DARK/Spellcaster) -LV2 - (1200/0)

"Next, I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Magical Dimension! If I control a Spellcaster-Type Monster, all I have to do is sacrifice one of my Monsters to Special Summon another Spellcaster-Type Monster from my hand! I sacrifice Saambell and Special Summon Blizzard Princess!"

Blizzard Princess - (WATER/Spellcaster) -LV8 - (2800/2100)

"And because of Magical Dimension, I can select which Monster to destroy!" Shouted Elize. "I choose one of your Magician's Valkyria!"

Upon her command, Magician's Valkyria cried out before exploding right there and then.

 **"Huh? Why didn't she aim for Dark Magician Girl instead?"** wondered Syrus, receiving countless glares from the audience. **"I-I mean the Duel Monster she had!"**

 **"It's simple, really,"** explained Chazz. **"Magician's Valkyria had a unique ability which made the opponents attack no other Spellcadter-Type other than her. And since there were two, it'll make an infinite chain. Huh, guess Red Hat Girl thought this through."**

"Oh no! Did I mess up?!" cried out Elize. "Should I have chosen Dark Magician Girl instead?!"

 **"...Or maybe not."**

"O-Okay! Now's the time to attack! Blizzard Princess, attack Dark Magician Girl!"

"You can't do that because of Magician's Valkyria, remember?" reminded Dark Magician Girl, wagging her finger. "Oh wait, I guess that still would be bad news for me. Oopsie!"

"Oh...Okay! Then I attack Magician's Valkyria!"

Blizzard inhaled air and blew a hail-like blizzard from her mouth, freezing Magician's Valkyria completely in ice before the ice shattered into a million pieces, spreading everywhere and even hitting Dark Magician Girl.

 **Dark Magician Girl - 800 LP**

 **Elize - 3700 LP**

Elize nodded. "Okay! I think I'll end my turn from there! Whew!"

"I gotta get a good comeback out of this! Draw!" said Dark Magician Girl. "Look everyone! I got it! The card that'll help me out of this situation! Magic Formula! I Equip it onto my own Dark Magician Girl and give her an 700 Attack Point boost!"

Dark Magician Girl - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (2700/1700)

 **"But that still won't be enough to beat Blizzard Princess,"** pointed out Chazz.

Syrus whacked him on the arm. **"Hey! Don't discourage her! You can do it, Dark Magician Girl!"**

 **"Grrr! If I weren't in this stupid costume, I'd come over and kill you!"**

"If I'm going down, I might as well do so fighting!" announced Dark Magician Girl. "Dark Magician Girl, attack her cute little Ebon Magician Curran!"

With a happy-go-lucky grin, Dark Magician Girl on the field placed her hand on her hip before shooting a dark energy ball at Curran, eliminating her with ease.

 **Dark Magician Girl - 800 LP**

 **Elize - 2200 LP**

"With that, I'll end my turn! How's that, everyone?" cheered Dark Magician Girl, making her fans cheer for her and even hold up banners with her name on it. "Aww! Thanks!"

"My turn!" said Elize. "Oh! I know what to do! First, I summon Card Ejector in Attack Mode!"

Card Ejector - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (400/400)

Other girls in the audience, including Alexis, awed and cooed all over the cute Spellcaster-Type and the fact that the owner also dressed up like her. As if mimicking each other's movements, both pulled their wizard hats down out of embarrassment.

"Awww! That's so adorable!~" squealed Dark Magician Girl. "I can't believe you managed to summon the one Monster you dressed up as!"

"T-thank you..." Elize said, clearing her throat to clear her thoughts. "Okay! Now, I activate Card Ejector's effect! Once per turn, she can remove from play one card in your Graveyard! I choose Magician's Valkyria!"

"Aww! I was planning on using her later!" Dark Magician Girl whined as the card was taken out of her Graveyard slot.

"Good! Okay, now I activate the Equip Spell card, Book of Secret Arts to Card Ejector, raising her Attack and Defense by up to 300!"

Card Ejector - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (700/700)

"Now's the time to attack! Blizzard Princess, attack Dark Magician Girl, please!"

Complying, Blizzard Princess twirled her staff-like mace around before thrusting it at Dark Magician Girl, destroying her.

 **Dark Magician Girl - 700 LP**

 **Elize - 2200 LP**

 **"Oh no! Now Dark Magician Girl's all defenceless and one last attack will finish her off!"** cried out Syrus, sobbing alongside other Dark Magician Girl fans. **"How cruel!"**

"Aww, it's alright, everyone! In a way, I had fun! I had so many of my fans cheering for me after all! Now, let's end this, Elize! Give me everything you've got!" said Dark Magician Girl with a determined look.

"Huh? Okay!" agreed Elize. "Card Ejector! Attack her directly!"

With a fierce look, Card Ejector fired a ray from the tip of her small wand, hitting Dark Magician Girl and causing her to fall to her knees.

 **Dark Magician Girl - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 2200 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

"That was fun!" laughed Dark Magician Girl, getting back on her feet as Elize walked up to her.

"Are you okay?" Elize asked politely. "I'm sorry that you lost the duel..."

"Nah, it's alright! Everyone loses every now and then! Hey, wanna hang out together?"

"Hang...out?"

"Yeah! We'll have total fun with the festivals! Let's go!" Without any warning, Dark Magician Girl grabbed Elize by the wrist, dragging her away towards the other festivals.

"Hey! Where's she taking Elize?!" exclaimed Hiita.

"Yeah! I wanted to hang out with her and Dharcy today!" complained Lyna.

"Come on, guys! I think Elize deserves a break from all of us," said Eria. "Besides, we can always hang out with her a different time."

* * *

 _Later..._

"Hmmm..."

"Checking out the menu there, Elize?" asked Dark Magician Girl as she and Elize were standing in front of a food court.

Elize nodded. "I want to try out some of these foods, but I don't want to throw them away if I don't like them."

Licking her lips hungrily, Dark Magician Girl offered, "Then, how about the ones you don't like, I'll eat? I've been dying to taste these things out!"

"Hmm? Oh, sure, I guess."

Soon, both of them sat on a bench with a few kinds of food on their laps. "Alright, time to dig in!" sang Dark Magician Girl, eating a dango off a stick while Elize tasted some takoyaki.

Their mouths watered with hunger at the delicious tastes of their food as they spoke in unison, "Mmmm! So good!~"

After their snack session, they began playing games together, competing against each other but unsuccessfully getting any prizes so far, seeing as it was their first time playing the carnival games.

Elize soon found herself whacking moles in a Whack-A-Mole game, trying to reach the high score when the timer buzzed, meaning her time was up. "Nice try! Still, you get a small prize!" spoke the vendor, presenting her a variety of choices.

Picking up a Watapon stuffed animal, Elize handed it over to Dark Magician Girl. "Huh? Why are you giving it to me, Elize?" the older girl asked.

"Well, I thought you might want it. No, really! It's okay!"

Touched by her generous offer, Dark Magician Girl squeezed the stuffed animal. "Well, okay! If you say so! Watapon really is so cute!~"

* * *

 _At night, inside Elize's room..._

"What?! You already knew?!" cried out Dark Magician Girl as she was enjoying some tea time with Elize.

The two girls didn't bother attending the campfire outside of the Slifer Red Dorm, where everyone else gathered as the final main event for the festival. Instead, both decided to relax and and enjoy some tea under the moonlight. Besides, if they went out, Dark Magician Girl would be surrounded by countless of her fans.

Elize nodded. "Yeah, I kinda already knew that you were a Duel Spirit. I mean, I can sense it and some of my other friends have already appeared to me in physical form before, so it really wasn't surprising. It just...took me a while to figure it out."

"Aww! And here, I was gonna surprise ya! Like, a plot twist or something!" complained Dark Magician Girl.

"I-I'm sorry..."

"No need to apology! It's fine! Say, Elize? Want to add me to your deck?"

Blinking in surprise, Elize asked, "W-Wait, what? You? But don't you belong to Yugi Muto or something?"

Dark Magician Girl shook her head. "Nah. That's a different one, though I do know her quite well. In a way, we do inherit memories of our other selves. But I'm a different card. It's just that there's only a few rare cards like me out there."

"Okay, that explains one thing, but why me? I'm nothing special, really. I still have a lot of training to do..."

"Idiot." Dark Magician Girl bonked Elize on the head with a pouty look. "You beat me fair and square, so I'd say you're plenty strong! Besides, you're so kind and even gave me that cute Watapon plushie when you didn't have to! As a bonus, you can chat with other Duel Spirits! It'll be fine! Roaming Duel Spirits like me can choose their master whenever they wish, and it's my decision."

Elize was told countless times by her other Duel Spirits that they didn't mind which cards she wanted to place in her deck since she was their master and it was her decision to toughen up her own deck. Not only was Dark Magician Girl a useful Spellcaster-Type, but she was also nice and she was sure the others wouldn't mind someone like her on her team.

Nodding, Elize said, "Okay. You can if you want. I won't stop you."

Grinning, Dark Magician Girl transformed back into an orb of light, floating onto Elize's deck, which illuminated for a second before fading away. Yawning, Elize placed her deck away in a safer spot, knowing that it would take a while for her new card to get accustomed to the others.

* * *

 **Skit: Picture Chase**

"EEEEEELLLLLLL!"

"Huh? What's that sound?" wondered Elize before turning her head to see Atticus running towards her...before bypassing her. "Atticus?!"

"I WANNA TAKE A PICTURE! OF YOU AND THE DARK MAGICIAN GIRL!"

"Then why doesn't he stop and do it?" asked Dark Magician Girl before discovering the source of the problem. "Oh, that."

"Get back here!" yelled Alexis, passing by Elize and Dark Magician Girl. "Atticus, you're so dead when I get you!"

Atticus circled around and stopped in front of both girls, snapping a picture of them before rushing off, sweating and panting heavily. "YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE, LEXY! NEVER!"

Elize sweatdropped. "Should we help him?"

"Awww! I never got to see the picture he took!"

"That's what your concern is?!"

* * *

 **Yeah, this was a bit rushed but I managed to finish it! Read and review!**


	24. Amnael's Endgame

**I AM FINISHED! SCHOOL'S DONE FOR ME! Sorry for all the wait, and all of ya guys demanding for more chapters! Well, I will do my best to complete season 1 of GX for both of my GX stories, so stay tune!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Early, around dawn in the morning as the sun was beginning to rise up into the bright blue skies, it would have been a fine morning like always. The birds were chirping as the spring breeze blew softly, causing the flowers to rustle slightly as the sun bathed sunlight upon all.

This also happened to be a fine morning for four individuals who happened to have overslept.

"Aah! We overslept!"

"Which means...we missed breakfast!"

"Nooo! I was looking forward for today's special!"

"Too...tired..."

As fast as they could, Jaden along with his three tired and fatigued friends, Elize, Syrus, and Chumley, quickly prepared themselves for the day before rushing into the Slifer Red dining hall, where their breakfast was supposed to be prepared for them. Since they woke up a little later than usual, they not only had to hurry to replenish their energy from breakfast, but to arrive at their classes on time too.

"Oh, good! There's some left!" sighed Jaden in relief, spotting four trays at their usual table before he and the rest of his friends sat down to eat. The only other person besides them was Chazz, who was sitting far from them and occupied eating his own share of breakfast.

"Yeah! Let's dig in!" encouraged Syrus, picking up his spoon and fork.

It may be her mind messing with her, but a drowsy Elize glanced at her tray, which was supposedly void of any food. "Um...is it just me, or do we not have any food?"

Checking the contents of his fruit cup, which was supposed to have fruit, Jaden spoke,"Not all that much to dig into."

"Someone's cleared up our trays!" gasped Syrus. No! And he was so looking forward to eating the most important meal of the day!

Horrified and hungry, Chumley questioned, "What sort of selfish slime would do that?"

The answer resided with Chazz as he not only had a _huge_ breakfast, but he seemed to be enjoying the pleasure of others suffering. In turn, the four of them marched up to Chazz with demanding, annoyed, or angered looks on their faces.

Knowing what they were going to ask, Chazz simply spoke with confidence, "You snooze, you lose!"

"Chazzz!" whined Elize, rubbing her eyes tiredily. "You can't just eat other people's food!"

Flicking her on the forehead, Chazz replied, "Uh...correction; I already did."

Slamming his hands onto the table, Syrus threatened, "That's it! Give us back our food, or I'm telling!"

"I would give it back, except I ate it all. And it was _good."_

Unable to rebuttal, Syrus did the only thing he could do; complain. "Professor Banner!"

Chumley joined in. "We don't have any breakfast!"

Elize said, "Chazz ate it!"

Pointing accusatively at the black cladded teen, Jaden cried out, "Chazz is being Chazz again!"

The complete silence in the room reminded everyone of Banner's absence once again. It's been weeks since he's been declared missing, and it was beginning to startle and worry the others. Some were spreading rumors, believing the kind and goofy to be...

"Don't tell me the Professor's still MIA," muttered Jaden. "This is getting serious..."

* * *

 _Later, in class..._

Nobody but a few in class seemed to express their concerns for the missing Professor as they had occupied themselves with their electrical devices, did their homework, chat with their friends, and so forth.

Seeing Jaden all gloomy from missing Banner, Syrus, Elize, and Chumley did their best to cheer up their best friend. "It'll be alright, Jaden!" assured Syrus.

Chumley nodded. "Yeah, totally! Chancellor Sheppard has a whole crew in search of Professor Banner! He'll find him!"

"It's just a matter of time!"

Though not completely believing in his friends, Jaden tried not to allow his depression to affect his friends. "Yeah...I hope."

Patting Jaden lightly on the back, Elize did her best to help out as well. "Please cheer up, Jaden. It'll get better."

"On the plus side, at least we don't have to do anything in class!" commented Chumley happily.

 _ **"General Hiita, reporting for duty!"**_ exclaimed Hiita, suddenly appearing by Elize's along with the rest of her Charmers, surprising their master.

 _ **"General Wynn, also reporting for duty!"**_

 _ **"Yeah, General Eria here!~ Reporting for duty!"**_

 _ **"Ooh! General Lyna here, reporting for duty!"**_

 _ **"...General Dharc, reporting for duty."**_

 _ **"This is so stupid...Gah...General Aussa, reporting for duty."**_

"...What are you doing, if I might ask?" whispered Elize, confused while sweatdropping.

Aussa sighed and shook her head. _**"It was Hiita's idea; ask her, not me."**_

 _ **"For your sake and for your friends, we decided to have a search throughout the island since the past few days!"**_ explained Lyna excitedly. _**"If a bunch of humans can't find a single human, then we Duel Spirits shall take the lead!"**_

Surprised, Elize asked, "Oh! Did you find Professor Banner?"

 _ **"Nope!~"**_

 _ **"Then don't say it so happily as if we did!"**_ scowled Dharc, crossing his arms. _**"Sorry, Elize. We really did tried, but wherever he is, it must be a really good hiding spot."**_

Elize shook her head sadly. "No, it's alright...Thank you for your efforts anyways."

Surprisingly enough, Crowler entered the classroom, and as soon as everyone caught wind of the teacher approaching Banner's desk, they all groaned. Just the sight of the narcissistic, feminine-looking teacher was enough to drop the mood of all of the students as they didn't want to deal with him of all people being their substitute. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

"Aww!"

"Crowler, really? Couldn't it be some hot chick?"

"It can't be good if he's supposed to be our sub."

"I wanna leave, but I don't wanna get in trouble!"

 _ **"Yeah, not staying here for another lecture of him and his dumb perfume adventures. See ya,"**_ spoke Hiita before returning to the Spirit World.

 _ **"I'm out too,"**_ said Aussa, disappearing as well.

 _ **"I can't stand another minute of him and his ugly mug!"**_ shouted Eria, vanishing with the rest of the Charmers.

Glaring at the class he was supposed to be teaching for the day, Crowler attempted to welcome them with a bright introduction for the morning. "Good morning, students! Guess what? Due to Professor Banner's absence, I will be your substitute teacher for the day! Aren't you lucky? Well, I'm certainly not! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY DAY OFF!"

It was as clear as day that Crowler didn't even want to be in the same classroom, being already frustrated as being ordered to teach class rather than spend his free day doing...whatever he intended to do. Placing his books down in a rather loud and rude manner, Crowler proceeded to make the preparations for today's lessons on the projectile monitor, revealing a strange alchemic symbol.

"Let's see here..." began Crowler, opening one of Banner's book on alchemy. "The Mark of Amnael...yes, it looks like...! That's where Professor Banner left off! More duel alchemy nonsense, I'm sure. Hmm...well, according to these tones...The basis of these are...hmm...know that. That doesn't make sense! I don't even know how to pronounce that word!"

Everyone remained silent and awkward as they watched and heard Crowler mumbling around and trying to find something good with teaching the main subject of the class; alchemy. So far, it didn't appear as though he understood a single thing about the subject, which to be fair, alchemy was more of a science thing and focused a little less on dueling.

Fed up with all the confusing alchemy, Crowler slammed the alchemy book shut and yelled, "WHAT GIBBERISH! THIS MAKES NO SENSE! AND HE'S TEACHING YOU IT?! Well, perhaps it's a good thing he's missing! After all, he's filling your minds with rubbish nonsense! IT'S GRADE A ACADEMIC TRASH! PURE RUBBISH! USELESS TRATTLE!"

Elize sweatdropped. "I...I don't think Professor Crowler's really good with this."

"Boy! He hates this stuff!" chuckled Jaden, finding some sort of amusement in Crowler's outburst.

Syrus shook his head. "No, it's not that, Jay! I think it's more...he doesn't get any of this himself!"

Since the books weren't doing much good for Crowler, he settled for experimentation with alchemy, having various different kinds of liquids and experimental equipment he got from Banner's desk.

"Alright!" spoke Crowler, beginning the experimentation. "It's time for the lab work, according to this...Now, let's see here...I'm sure this is right..."

Using an iron tool, Crowler dipped it carefully into some strange colored liquid. The liquid had a certain reaction to it as it made a boiling sound and a light radiated from the liquid before exploding, causing a smokescreen that lasted for several seconds.

The good news was that nobody got injured, even Crowler. The bad news for Crowler was that the iron tool he used earlier was attached to his forehead, so when he pulled it out forcibly...it was almost too painful to watch. Afterwards, half of the class enjoyed the entertainment of Crowler screeching in pain from the burn mark on his forehead, rubbing frantically for it to go away.

While Crowler was ranting and raging angrily about alchemy, Jaden paid no heed to him as he muttered, "Boy, I sure hope Professor Banner shows up soon."

"Of course, Banner usually blew himself up too," pointed out Syrus.

"True."

"Heads up, guys!" spoke Chumley.

"Huh? What's up, Chum?"

"MR. SLIFER SLACKER!" hollered Crowler, still ticked about his failed experimentation and how it made him look bad in front of the students.

Knowing not to mess with Crowler when he was in this level of anger, Jaden quickly responded, "Uh...Yes sir?"

"Chancellor Sheppard would like a word! And not just you! Alexis Rhodes, Bastion Misawa, Chazz Princeton, and Elize Simington! The rest of you at once!"

Surprised at this sudden announcement, the five students decided there was no other choice but to obey Crowler's commands, knowing full well that if Sheppard had to call them, it had to be very important and possibly regarding about the Shadow Riders.

* * *

 _Later, in the Chancellor's Office..._

"What do you mean he's still lost?" demanded Jaden, having gathered at the office with the assigned students; Elize, Bastion, Alexis, Chazz, and Zane. "Professor Banner couldn't have just vanished into thin air! Could he?"

Sheppard sighed, crossing his arms. "Who knows? The bottom line is, we looked everywhere and we can't find him!"

"And there's no log of him leaving the island," addressed Crowler, in case the students were wondering if that were the case.

Thinking hard, Elize thought, _'Hiita and the others couldn't find the Professor, either. Could it be possibly that some sort of Shadow Charm is at work?'_

Chazz spoke up, "So, I think we all know what happened. Banner got sucked into the shadows."

Narrowing her eyes, Alexis scolded, "Don't say that!"

"Actually...I think Chazz might be right," admitted Elize. "Maybe the Shadow Rider used some sort of Shadow Charm to make him disappear, or kept him captive, just like Camula did with Zane and Dr. Crowler."

"No," denied Sheppard. "If he lost a Shadow Game, a Spirit Gate would have opened, and there has been no new activity."

"Then...how about putting it like this?" Elize suggested. "Maybe the Shadow Rider captured Professor Banner?"

"But there would be no point. The Shadow Rider would have dueled Professor Banner and taken his key, and like I said earlier, none of the Spirit Gates have opened."

"Hmm...Then, what if the Shadow Rider decided to keep Professor Banner around and used him as a hostage in order to lure in the other Key Keepers?"

"That's a good thought, but if that were the case, the Shadow Rider would have done that weeks ago."

"But still," said Jaden. "I have a feeling that the Shadow Riders have something to do with all of this? But what? That's what we gotta find out!"

* * *

 _Outside of the Academy..._

"So how do we find out what's up if we can't even find Banner?" wondered Chumley. "Or another breakfast?"

"You know, Chumley's got a point," agreed Syrus. "I mean, after all, Chancellor Sheppard turned all of Duel Academy inside out!"

"My Duel Spirits searched everywhere on the island, but even they couldn't find him," Elize said to Jaden, whom she knew was the only other person who could contact Duel Spirits as well, in case he was going along with a similar plan Hiita had.

"Darn! That was going to my next plan!" groaned Jaden. Just as she thought.

"I mean, I'd like to help," said Chumley. "But what can the three of us do that's already been done? Let's just focus on finding some chow."

Speaking of chow, that reminded Elize of something as she fished through her bag. "Oh! I got-"

"Look, guys," sighed Jaden, knowing how difficult their predicament is. "I know it seems hopeless right now, but we can't give up! We owe it to Banner to keep looking! He'd do the same thing for us! Right?"

"Right!" Chazz said, having eavesdropped on their conversation with an air of confidence around him.

"Aah!" cried out Syrus. "B-Beat it, Chazz!"

Chuckling, Chazz assured them, "Chill. I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here to save the day! To find Professor Banner!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..." None of the Slifer Reds bothered to consider his offer, since he did somewhat mess up on the last detective case involving a Shadow Rider.

"Well, say thank you!" yelled Chazz, irritated.

"Oh!" said Elize, taking out four small loaves of bread before handing them out to herself, Jaden, Chumley, and Syrus. "I almost forgot! Miss Dorothy gave me these for free after I told her that we skipped breakfast today!"

"Wow! Thanks!" said Syrus as Chumley was gobbling down his share of the bread.

"Hey! What about my share? I'm helping out, too!" reminded Chazz.

Having somewhat forgotten about him having eaten their breakfast, Elize bowed her head and apologized. "Oh! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to single you out! Here!" She was about to offer up her bread when Jaden suddenly stuffed his bread into Elize's mouth, taking her own bread and putting in his mouth.

"You!" Chazz growled, pointing to Jaden, who had a smug look on his face as he was eating the bread. To Jaden, this was payback from the morning before.

Once their snack break was over, everyone started heading back to the Slifer Red Dorm. "Oh, when searching for a missing person, the first thing you have to do is go to the scene of the crime!"

"But we don't know where that is," said Syrus. "Isn't that the problem? Is it?"

"Listen! It's a figure of speech! Now, come on! We just have to retrace Banner's steps!"

"But...we don't know his steps!"

"I know." Then, Jaden grinned. "But, let's just humor him!"

"Can't I just laugh at him, instead?"

"Quiet! The Chazz is on the job!"

"Chazz, can you please just tell us where we're going?" asked Elize, spotting the Slifer Red Dorm not too far away from their spot. "It just looks like we're going back to the Slifer Red Dorm."

Chazz smirked. "Exactly! The first place we're going to search for is Banner's room!"

"Uh..." Uneased, Elize said, "Won't that get us in trouble?"

"Of course not! We'll just clean everything up afterwards!"

Like Chazz said, he lead them inside Banner's room in the Slifer Red Dorm, which wasn't hard to gain acess to, considering their Professor hardly ever locks his room. It was surprising to see the room so...neat and clean and like any other ordinary room rather than messy like any scientist would have. Everything seemed so organized.

"Well, guys, there are no clues here," said Syrus, searching through the bookcase as everyone else picked other spots to look for clues.

"Yeah! Nothing here, either!" called out Jaden, checking through a different bookshelf. "You'd think he'd leave a note or something!

At last, Chumley saw a piece of paper folded up underneath a table. "He did! Look!"

After gathering everyone together, Chumley handed the note to Jaden, who unfolded it and read it carefully. "It's...It's Professor Banner's handwriting! 'Cause it's not very clear. Something...tree?"

"Can I read it?" Being handed the note, Elize tried to decipher the note. "Um...I can only make out a few words...Tree's there...remind? Is said...Uh...I'm sorry, that's all I got."

"Must be code," commented Chazz, snatching the paper away from her. "Here, let me-Hmm? Of course, I see! You see, Tree must have a secret meaning!"

"Really?" questioned Syrus.

"What kind of meaning?" asked Elize.

"Oh, come on! It's plain as day!" said Chazz, chuckling. "At least, for a genius such as I!"

Rolling his eyes, Chumley asked, "Okay, okay! So, what's it mean?"

"Yeah, tell us already!"

"What it means," Chazz started. "Is that Banner took on the seventh Shadow Rider!"

Gasps escaped from all but Chazz. So it was true! Banner must have challenged the final Shadow Rider and something happened to him afterwards!

"Are you seriously?!" wondered Jaden, surprised.

"How can you be sure?" asked Elize. "It did have tree in it, but I doubt that's going to give us much of a clue."

"Of course I'm sure!" said Chazz, with much more vigor and confidence than before. "And there's more too! I know who the Rider is as well! Oh man, I am just too good!"

Sweatdropping, Jaden spoke annoyingly, "Yeah...you're great. So then, who is it, already?"

"Who, indeed? The note was underneath the table, which had the phone on top. That means he wrote it while talking to someone. Someone who's name sounds like 'Tree.' Now then, who do we know whose name sounds like that? A hint?" explained Chazz, smirking. "She works in the cafeteria!"

"Name rhymes with 'Tree,' and she works in the cafeteria.." mumbled Elize before snapping her fingers. "You don't mean-!"

"That's right! Dorothy! It rhymes with tree! She's a Shadow Rider! She's the one who's taken out Professor Banner!"

Shock doesn't even begin to describe the expressions on Jaden, Chumley, Syrus, and Elize's faces as they took in the new knowledge. The kind and wonderful lady behind the counter that cooked a lot of delicious meals for them is behind all of this?! The one who took out Professor Banner?!

"No, it can't be!" cried out Elize, shaking her head in denial. "Miss Dorothy would...would never hurt a fly! There's no way! I refuse to believe to believe that! Besides, she was kind enough to give me bread to give to all of you! Would a bad guy really do that?"

"They could have been filled with poison!"

"...But, Chazz," spoke up Syrus. "If they were poisonous, we'd all be dead. Well, except for you since you didn't eat any."

"I still refuse to believe Miss Dorothy could be a bad guy!" shouted Elize. "At least let's get more proof before we assume the worst!"

"Fine, fine!" agreed Chazz, picking up the phone and dialing a few numbers. "I'll call her to make sure!"

Within a few minutes later, with the phone being placed in Speaker Phone, everyone heard the conversation at hand and immediantly were assured that Dorothy wasn't a Shadow Rider before Chazz hung up.

Instead of expressing his disappointment, Chazz spoke with an air of coolness. "Okay, so maybe...I was just a little off-"

"JUST A LITTLE OFF?!" yelled Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley, angered at him and his mistake. Thanks to Chazz's "brilliant deduction," not only did they assume that innocent Dorothy was the culprit, but they wasted time as well!

Elize, instead of getting angry, sighed in relief instead. She was more happy that one of her trusted friends wasn't a bad guy and hoped there would be no betrayals.

Continuing on with the investigation, the four of them began presenting items they found suspicious to Chazz, who declined each and every one to be a clue that could help them. They were getting nowhere with so few information and clues, and they were starting to lose hope as time passed.

Unraveling a hidden map with a strange familiar symbol, Syrus called out, "Hey, guys! Check this out! I fou-"

Suddenly, Chazz pushed Syrus aside to take the credit of finding the map, not caring for his injuries. "Of course! It's obvious! This explains it all!"

"What? Do you see another tree?" asked Syrus as Elize helped him sit up after Chazz had pushed him.

"No! This!" Pointing to the strange symbol on the map, Chazz continued, "Check it out! It's The Mark of Amnael! The one we learned in class! See, now _this_ is a clue! I mean, come on! Banner is so into all of this alchemy junk, so this must be where he is!"

"Yeah, and it's in a forest, too!" added Syrus.

"One with trees!" said Jaden. "...You think that's what the note meant?"

"Shut it," grumbled Chazz, folding the map and taking it in his hands. "Now that we've got the information, we should hurry up and go to that location."

"Alright!" said Jaden. "Let the rescue expedition for Professor Banner begin! Follow me, guys!"

"Yeah!" cheered Syrus, Chumley, and Elize; pumping their fists in the air.

"Follow you?" questioned Chazz, unamused. "Yeah, right! I'm the one who figured this whole thing out! So, you guys can follow me! If you can keep up, that is!"

"Wait!" interrupted Elize. "Shouldn't we involve more people in this expedition? Like, shouldn't we invite Zane or Atticus or even Alexis?"

Chazz pondered about it, but shook his head afterwards. "No, we don't have time. Every second wasted is a second away from rescuing Professor Banner. Besides, more people could slow us down. This five man team is enough for us. Let's go!"

"Aww!" Although they didn't like Chazz being the leader and preferred someone like Jaden, they had to comply to Chazz's wishes since he was the one that lead them towards the clues they needed. That way, they were showing that they were fair.

While roaming around the forest trails, Syrus took this chance to speak up. "Uh...Chazz? Other than following you, what's the plan here?"

"Yeah! How do we find Banner once we get to the alchemy mark?" asked Chumley.

"Easy!" replied Chazz, revealing some catnip in his hands. "We find his cat Pharaoh with this!"

"Chazz, haven't you tried this before?" reminded Jaden.

"Oh yeah, from the Duel Monsters Spirit Day festival!" remarked Elize.

Raising his hand eagerly, Syrus said, "Ooh! Ooh! I have an idea! Since calling out for Pharaoh hasn't worked, let's go a different route!"

"And what route is that?" asked Chazz.

"Here! I'll show you!" Pulling out a black marker from his pocket, Syrus wasted no time in making cat marks and whiskers all over Chazz's face. Once finished, he backed away with a grin on his face. "There! Done! Now Pharaoh will think you're a cat! Who knows, _he might possibly mate you!~"_

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE DEAD!" The others didn't waste time running away from an enraged Chazz as he was chasing after them, all while the others laughed it off and separated in order to cause confusion to Chazz as he was trying to figure out who to chase first.

Considering Syrus was the one who did this to his face...he chased after him, threatening to do things to him as he ran. None of them even noticed the mysterious cloaked man hanging on top of a tree,watching them from above.

* * *

 _Later..._

 _'Oh no! I'm totally lost! I knew I shouldn't have run off like that! But I was just having some fun!'_ thought Elize, wandering around as the sun was starting to go down, signified as the sky turned from blue to bright colors of red, yellow, and orange merged together. If she didn't hurry and find the others, she'd be lost in the dark and have to spend the night alone! Plus, who knows what sort of wild creatures remained at dark?

Finding herself in a clearing, Elize didn't find Jaden and the others, but she was shocked to see an unconscious Alexis along with a cloaked man.

"Alexis!" cried out Elize, rushing towards her body and shaking her. "Alexis? Please, wake up! What happened?!"

The cloaked man answered for her. "She has been defeated by none other than I, Amnael, the Seventh Shadow Rider!"

Elize felt something tugging at her heart as she stared at the stranger in shock. It was as though she was stuck in cold ice. This was the Seventh Shadow Rider?! The one who did this to Alexis was him? How unlucky could she be?

No, perhaps this is a good chance! After all, if she defeats him, maybe this whole mess could be over and Alexis, Banner, and everyone else would be safe!

Standing up with eyes filled with renewed determination upon learning he was the last boss, Elize asked, "Did you do something to Professor Banner? Please, tell me!"

The cloaked man named Amnael seemed a bit taken aback by the fierce look in her eyes, as though he's never seen them before. Regaining his composure, he nodded. "He is, in a way, gone from this world. You will never find him again!"

"W-what? What does that mean?!"

"Enough prattle!" said Amnael, revealing his duel disk. "I am only interested in one thing; your Spirit Key! I have already taken that young lady's Spirit Key, so it's only fair I duel you and take yours!"

Left with no choice, Elize nodded and activated her duel disk. "Okay! I'm ready! Bring it on!" Not only was Elize more confident since he's the last Shadow Rider, but anything he tries on her, she would negate it using the power of her own Shadow Charm pendant, just like she did with Camula.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Amnael - 4000 LP**

"I think it's best that I go first!" said Elize. "I'll set a Monster facedown before ending my turn!"

"Then, it's my turn!" Amnael said. "First, I activate Chaos Distill, which will permit me to remove my own cards from play each time they're sent to the Graveyard!"

"But...why do that? Unless, you have some sort of Zombie-Type deck that makes your Monsters stronger once they're removed from play!"

Amnael shook his head. "Not quite, but good guess, nevertheless. Now, come forth, Chaos Distill!"

A machinery-like cauldron emerged from behind Amnael, functioning and operating at a fine pace as steam and gas poured out from its open pipes.

"Now, I set a card facedown and activate the Spell, Tin Spell Circle! As long as I have Chaos Distill on my field, I can Special Summon Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin, from my hand! Appear, creature of wind!"

Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin - (WIND/Rock) - LV3 - (500/500)

 _'Oh no! My set Monster isn't a WIND Attribute type!'_ thought Elize. _'But...even so, this is good! Because my Monster still has higher defense!'_

"Aretos' special ability allows him to attack you directly! Now attack!" ordered Amnael.

Flapping his wings rapidly, Aretos manipulated the wind into creating swift blades of wind that fired downwards at Elize's area.

 **Elize - 3500 LP**

 **Amnael - 4000 LP**

"With that, I will end my turn."

"My turn!" Elize said. "Okay! I activate the Equip Spell card, Scroll of Bewitchment and equip it to Aretos the Tin! I declare Aretos to be a WATER Attribute Monster, thanks to Scroll of Bewitchment's effect!"

Alchemy Beast - Aretos the Tin - (WATER/Rock) - LV3 - (500/500)

Amnael grunted to himself, knowing full well what Elize intended to do. Normally, anyone would assume it was harmless to change another Monster's element, but with the Charmer deck Elize had, it was entirely a different playing field for her.

"I Flip Summon Eria the Water Charmer! And thanks to her Flip effect, she can control one WATER Attribute Monster on your field so long as she's face up on the field! I'll take Aretos the Tin!"

Opening her mouth, Eria released a soft melody that resounded throughout the air as she lifted up her glowing blue staff. Bubbles appeared from the staff and popped in front of Aretos before Aretos flew over to Elize's side.

"Okay! I sacrifice Aretos in order to Tribute Summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Dark Magician Girl - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (2000/1700)

"Next, I fuse Eria with Hiita the Fire Charmer to Fusion Summon Syesha the Steam Charmer!"

Hiita popped onto the field besides the two female and attractive Spellcasters before both she and Eria transformed into two orbs of light and combined their forced together. Once the light died down, a Spellcaster carrying both their traits and color schemes and appeared extremely beautiful arrived to take their place.

Syesha the Steam Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1300)

"Syesha's special ability activates!" said Elize. "When she's Fusion Summoned, I gain 500 Life Points for each FIRE and/or WATER Attribute Monster on the field! My Monster's the only one that fits the category, so I regain 500 Life Points!"

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Amnael - 4000 LP**

"Hmm...so, you, too, are also a master of Fusion as well. I was so focused on that other Elemental deck that I didn't consider yours, given I didn't have much data on yours," murmured Amnael.

"Hmm? What's he talking about?" wondered Elize.

 _ **"Elize, don't worry! Ignore him! Attack now while you still have the chance! Sure, we may not be able to defeat him this turn, but both my Attack Points along with Dark Magician Girl's should add up to 3900! Then you can finish him off next turn!"**_ said Syesha, twirling her staff.

"Okay! First, Dark Magician Girl! Please attack Amnael directly!"

With a bright smile on her face, Dark Magician Girl brought her wand closer to her, focusing on creating a dark energy ball before releasing it towards Amnael.

"If you think I'm going to make it easy, you're sadly mistaken!" Amnael bellowed. "I activate my Continous Trap, Elemental Absorber! All I must do is remove from play 1 Monster in my hand whose Attribute matches that of the current Monster that's attacking, and that negates the attack! Additionally, you can no longer attack with the same Attribute once this effect takes place! I remove from play Obsidian Dragon, who's a DARK Attribute Monster, to negate your attack! Now your DARK Attribute Monsters can no longer declare attacks!"

The dark energy ball immediantly was drawn in by the rotational force of Elemental Absorber, being sucked in by one of the spikes the small spinning machinery had before that same spike lit up a dark purplish color.

"It's not over yet! Syesha, please attack!"

"I shall activate the effect of Elemental Absorber once again!" declared Amnael as Syesha fired a fireball surrounded by streams of water. "I remove from play Aqua Spirit from my hand to negate your Monster's WATER Attribute attack!"

While the machinery spun, one of the spikes glowed blue as it swallowed in all of the water from the combo spell, leaving just the fireball.

"Not so fast!" said Elize. "Syesha is treated as a FIRE Attribute as well, so her attack will still go through!"

Glancing at his hand, Amnael grunted to himself as he had no more cards in his hand to remove from play. Smirking, Syesha let out a war cry as her magic spell went bypassed Elemental Absorber and smashed into Amnael. Sure, Elize could no longer attack with either FIRE or DARK Attribute Monsters, but it was a fair price to pay to deal some fair damage to the enemy.

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Amnael - 2100 LP**

Relieved, Elize said, "I end my turn! During this time, at the End Phase, if Syesha attacked this turn, then she has to change to Defense Mode!"

"I see...so, the reason why you Fusion Summoned her wasn't just for the Life Point boost up but also for extra defense should she attack," mused Amnael. "Not bad...taking your Fusion Monster's capacities to the full limits. Even I never knew she had an additional Attribute until now."

"T-Thank you...?"

 _ **"Elize! Don't let him sweet talk and compliment you! That's just the enemy's way of distracting you!"**_ shouted Syesha.

"R-right! Sorry!"

"My move!" said Amnael. "I play Pot of Greed, making me draw two new cards. Good, I shall activate Lead Compass, which allows me to Special Summon Leon the Lead from my deck or hand so long as I have Chaos Distill on my field! I Special Summon Leon the Lead from my deck!"

Alchemy Beast - Leon the Lead - (EARTH/Rock) - LV3 - (500/500)

"Next, I activate the Spell, Black Process - Negledo! If I have no other cards in my hand and Chaos Distill is still on my field, all I have to do is remove from play all Alchemy Beasts on my field, and for each one removed, I receive two more cards!"

With Leon quickly destroyed, Amnael drew two new cards and continued his turn. "Not bad. I suppose these will have to do. As long as I have Chaos Distill out on the field, I can activate the Spell, Bronze Scale to Special Summon Ouroburos the Bronze from my deck or hand!"

Alchemy Beast - Ouroburos the Bronze - (LIGHT/Rock) - LV3 - (500/500)

"Like my other Alchemy Beasts, this one has the same ability to attack you directly! Go!"

Flickering his tongue, Ouroburos opened his jaws and revealed the sharp fangs underneath, flashing them using the sunset's light which blinded Elize for a moment.

 **Elize - 3500 LP**

 **Amnael - 2100 LP**

"I shall end my turn."

"My turn, then!" said Elize. "Okay...I set a card facedown and switch Syesha to Attack Mode! I attack with Syesha now!"

Concentrating two types of magic in her hands, both fire and water, Syesha fused the two forces together before firing them at a speedy pace.

"Now is the time to defend! I activate Elemental Absorber and remove from play Spirit of Flames, a FIRE Attribute Monster, from my hand! Negate and render her FIRE Attribute attacks useless!"

Elemental Absorber sucked in the flames from the spells along with the water; another spike turning red as Syesha's attacks were no longer effective.

Knowing Dark Magician Girl couldn't attack because of Elemental Absorber, Elize had no other choice. "I...end my turn. During this time, Syesha's effect activates and she switches into Defense Mode."

"My turn!" said Amnael before chuckling to himself. "Yes...How fortunate! I didn't expect such a lucky card! I activate the Spell card, White Process - Albedo! This can only be activate while I control Chaos Distill, and I can then Special Summon Golden Homunculus from my hand or deck!"

Golden Homunculus - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV6 - (0/0)

"While this Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or Set, his Attack and Defense Points are 300 x the number of cards I have removed from play! I have 11 cards removed from play, giving him a grand total of 3300!"

Golden Homunculus - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV6 - (3300/3300)

"Now, attack Dark Magician Girl!"

All it took was one punch from Golden Homunculus to knock out Dark Magician Girl and defeat her.

 **Elize - 2200 LP**

 **Amnael - 2100 LP**

"With that, I will end my turn!"

"Draw!" said Elize, looking at the card she drew. _'Good! I got Lyna! If I set her and wait for my next turn, I can take control of Golden Homunculus and end this! But wait! What if he attacks Lyna? I'd stand no chance then! If that's the case, then I might have to proceed with Plan B!'_

"I set a Monster facedown and another card facedown before ending my turn!"

"Very well!" said Amnael. "Go, Golden Homunculus! Attack that facedown Monster of hers!"

 _'Just as I thought! Hope this works!'_ Elize thought. "I activate my Trap, Ring of Destruction! All I have to do is target a face-up Monster and that Monster is destroyed! We then take damage equal to his Attack Points, and I choose Golden Homunculus!"

"What?! Why do such a foolish thing?! We'll both be hit, then!" reminded Amnael.

"Exactly! That's why I prepared something like another Trap card called Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment! This makes me immune to Effect Damage until the end of this turn! So, technically you'll be getting the damage instead!"

A ring with red attachments was placed over Golden Homunculus' neck as the countdown for destruction began. Amnael chuckled to himself and shook his head.

"You've grown strong, Elize..." he spoke softly. "It's truly amazing how one novice could turn into a skilled duelist in a manner of months. But even so...I can't let you win. There's one more thing I must do."

"What are you talking about...?"

"Before I...finish my role in this world, there is one important task I must do. I wasn't expecting you to be strong enough to defeat me. I apologize, but I can't grant you this victory. I didn't want to do this, but it looks like I'll have to cheat."

"Wha-"

Taking out several colored vials from his cloak, Amnael threw them on the ground, hard enough for them to shatter. The liquids mixed together and created a sort of colorful smokescreen that covered the area and was enough to cancel the duel between them.

"Hey, wai-" Before Elize could take a few more steps forward, her nose caught scent of numerous different kinds of smells and before she knew it, she blacked out.

* * *

 _About a day or so later..._

Head clear as day, Elize woke up as Fontaine was placing flowers in a vase nearby. Stretching her arms, Elize sat up and yawned, alerting Fontaine as she walked towards her bed.

"Good morn-Or, rather, I should say good afternoon, Elize," greeted Fontaine. "You've been asleep for about two days, you know?"

"Two days? What happened...?"

"Well, Alexis was around the area you were in and carried you back here for safety," explained Fontaine. "Afterwards, an investigation team went to the same area and found different kinds of harmless chemicals on the ground along with glass shards from broken vials. The only effects the chemicals had were harmless, colorful gas, and the strong stenches each one had. There were no negative effects on your body. It seems like you fainted because of the strong smells."

"That...actually sounds kinda pathetic of me," admitted Elize, ashamed.

"Don't feel bad about it! Loads of people faint from that reason. People can even get headaches from strong smells. I knew this one patient who fainted because of bad taste in food."

Elize knew this was Fontaine's way of cheering her up, so she simply nodded and smiled at her. Then, the infirmary door opened, revealing Jaden, Alexis, Atticus, Chazz, Syrus, and Chumley.

"Oh! Hey, she's awake!" said Jaden.

"Oh, hello everyone," spoke Elize politely. "What happened to Amnael? I kinda encountered him and he was the Seventh Shadow Rider, so..."

Sharing saddened and uneased looks, everyone pulled up a stool and settled down to talk to Elize everything about Amnael. Apparently, Professor Banner was Amnael as well as the final Shadow Rider and that he only joined the Shadow Riders to stop the true evil force at hand. Also, his real body died a long time ago and he was really in the body of an homunculus created through alchemy. He sought out those worthy of defeating the real great evil and chose Jaden. With that said, he dueled Jaden, lost, and handed Jaden his own Shadow Charm before dying for good.

"But Banner also said one more thing," said Jaden. "Something like he wasn't expecting you to be a chosen one as well, Elize."

"What...does that mean?" asked Elize.

"Well, according to Jaden and the others, they said you were about to beat Banner, something he never predicted because he had to duel Jaden and thought the rest of the Key Keepers wouldn't stand a chance against him. Because you had the potential to beat him, Banner knew you were chosen as well."

"He said he knocked you out with harmless strong-smelling gas," added in Jaden. "He also wanted me to tell you he was sorry for cheating and ruining your duel. He thought you were an amazing duelist."

"I...I'm not that amazing. I just got lucky," Elize said. "Jaden's way more stronger than I am."

"Aww! Don't be so modest! You did great if you were able to beat someone that not even me, my sis, or even Chazz could beat!" chirped Atticus, patting her on the head.

"Hey! I could beat him! I was just...caught off guard! That's all!" shouted Chazz in denial.

"By the way, how many Spirit Keys are there left?" asked Syrus.

"Well...Jaden and Elize are the only ones left unharmed, so that means...two are left," answered Alexis. "Even if we're safe for now, there's that great evil that might be coming soon, so we best be prepared, alright?"

"Right!"

* * *

 **Skit: Autograph Jealously**

"What's that you got there, Elize?" asked Jaden, pointing to the picture Elize held in her hands.

"Hmm? Oh, this is a photo autograph from Atticus! He wanted to thank me for trying to help out his sister," said Elize. "This is my first time getting an autograph, so I was happy!"

"Yeah, be sure to keep it a secret. If his fangirls get wind of you actually having one, they'll resort to anything just to get it," warned Chazz.

"Huh? Why? It's just a photo. Can't they ask Atticus for some?"

"See, that's the problem. It's a photo of Atticus with _his signature_. His fangirls would _kill_ to get one."

"Eep!" Now even Elize was scared.

"Oh, stop frightening her, Chazz," scolded Alexis. "Elize, there's nothing to worry about. They won't actually kill you. Sure, they'll be a little jealous, but they won't harm you."

"I just don't get why a photo with someone's signature is so important," said Elize.

"Lots of girls love attractive men and getting their signature is like...a declaration of love. Er...you'll understand when you're older."

"So...Is Atticus' gift to me his declaration of love?"

"Oh-! No!" cried out Alexis, a little horrified. "My brother may like the ladies, but I don't think he'll go for way younger girls like you! Er...no offense. Sorry."

"It's okay! If anything, I think of Atticus as a funny friend! I'll just treasure his gift, if that's alright."

"Huh? Yeah, that's fine."

* * *

 **Skit: Forest Knight**

"Guys, I'm scared! What if we encounter bears or something!" whined Elize, frightened as she hid behind Chumley.

"Red Hat Girl, we've already been through the forest more than once. I'm pretty sure if we saw a bear, we would know," spoke Chazz harshly, annoyed.

"Besides, the Academy would never allow dangerous creatures like that on the island, so there's no need to worry," assured Chumley.

Boasting, Syrus exclaimed, "Never fear, Elize! I, Syrus, shall protect you from all land creatures!" At that moment, a snake slid past the group, causing Syrus to shriek and jump into Jaden's arms.

"...Yeah, real nice protection there, Sir Syrus," teased Chazz.

"Shut it!"

* * *

 **Finished! By the way, don't know when I'm gonna update this again since I'm going on vacation in a couple of days, so I'll be out for a while! Stay tune!~**


	25. Chazz-anova

**Onward to the new chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"My turn! Draw!" said Elize, having drawn her card.

She was currently in a duel against an Obelisk Blue student and seemed to be on the verge of winning as her opponent didn't seem to have anymore Monsters on his field while she had Dark Magician Girl left on her field. Plus, it was her turn and just one more direct attack and he'd be done for.

Dark Magician Girl - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (2000/1700)

 **Elize - 2300 LP**

 **Obelisk Blue student - 400 LP**

Looking at the card she just drew along with the four other cards in her hand, Elize sighed in disappointment before declaring, "Dark Magician Girl! Please finish him off!"

With a cute smile on her face, Dark Magician Girl successfully executed the command, stunning the opponent with a single ray attack from her wand.

 **Elize - 2300 LP**

 **Obelisk Blue student - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

"Whew! That was a close match!" sighed Elize.

Glancing at his watch, the Obelisk Blue student panicked. "Oh no! It's almost time for my meeting with my girlfriend! Gah! I didn't realize the duel could be this long! See ya!" Turning around, the student fled, leaving Elize all alone.

Ever since Banner's death, Elize has been devising a way to become stronger to support her friend even further. Surprisingly enough, she was the one who requested the previous duel to begin with. Actually, for a while, she has been requesting duels throughout the entire island whenever she had the time, wishing to improve her skills and constantly growing stronger with each duel she won. In fact, her actions and victories were slowly being recognized by several students on campus and even her own Duel Spirits were praising her for her recent activities.

 _ **"What's with the troubled look, Elize?"**_ asked Lyna, frowning before tapping the girl's nose with a single tap of her finger. _**"I know these duels can be exhausting but you've been improving and winning! You should feel happy instead of all glum like Dharcy!~"**_

 _ **"I'm right here, you know!"**_ shouted Dharc, crossing his arms in irritation.

Elize nodded, offering a smile. "Thanks...but I was a little more annoyed, really. I didn't get the chance or the proper cards to summon... _him."_

 _ **"Ohhhh! That guy! Well, he is pretty tough to summon!"**_ admitted Lyna. _**"But I know that if anyone can do it, it's you, Elly! But if you do summon him, it'll be your first time, right? Even though you've already met him."**_

 _ **"Of course our Master has, idiot,"**_ scolded Dharc. **_"She's just never summoned him before. You'll need five cards to summon him. One, being a Polymerization card, of course."_**

 ** _"Hey! Don't you think this reminds you of summoning Exodia? You know, five cards? Get them all, win the game?"_** gasped Lyna. _**"If you got Exodia, you'd totally be OP!"**_

"OP?" wondered Elize.

 _ **"Overpowered,"**_ stated Dharc.

"Oh. Well, isn't Exodia banned anyways? And besides, didn't Yugi lose them?"

Dharc nodded. _**"Yes. And for some reason, the ancient Exodia back in the Spirit World has a sudden hatred for humans with blue hair and buggy-like glasses. Don't ask me why because I have no idea."**_

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm heading over to the school shop to buy a snack now," said Elize. "The snacks Miss Dorothy has are always so tasty!"

 _ **"Wait, what about the snacks your sister keeps sending you?"**_ asked Lyna.

"Um...Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley ate them all, remember?" recalled Elize. "Well, it was a big load off my shoulders since Big Sis tends to go overboard with the snacks but they seriously enjoy my snacks way too much."

Dharc agreed, _**"Yeah, they were basically like children awaiting Christmas gifts once you handed them snacks."**_

"Yeah. But I seriously should leave for the school store now, otherwise it'll close."

Upon arriving at the school store within minutes later, there was nobody around except for a few students which wished to hang out at one of various tables across the cafeteria along with Dorothy and another female employee. It appears that Dorothy was having some trouble with a clock, as she was busy trying to fix whatever problem resided while the employee was busy waiting for any customers to appear at the cashier.

"Miss Dorothy? What's wrong?" questioned Elize, walking up to her.

"Oh, it's nothing you should worry about! Just a bit of a problem with this clock I ordered a couple of weeks ago!" assured Dorothy kindly. "Some parts are a bit messed up, so I'm trying to fix it by myself-!"

It was clear to Elize that Dorothy wasn't exactly an expert on fixing simple mechanics, so she offered a hand and asked, "May I see it for a second? I might be able to fix the problem?"

"Huh? Okay, I'll let you give it a try."

Elize took the broken clock and turned it around to examine the inside of the object. Peering closer, Elize studied the mechanics closely before settling down on a chair near a table before looking up at Dorothy. "I think I can fix it but it'll take me some time. Would you please wait for a few more minutes?"

"Sure!"

* * *

 _Later, at the beach..._

 _ **"Maan! Your mechanic skills never cease to amaze me, Elly!~"**_ cheered Hiita, patting Elize on the head as the small human girl was sitting on a bench, sipping some strawberry milk and eating a small bag of Dorothy's homemade cookies.

"Hmm? Oh, it wasn't that special. It was just an easy clock, that's all," assured Elize. After fixing the clock which Dorothy had trouble with, the kindhearted woman handed her some milk and cookies for free as a reward and since Elize enjoyed the environment outside, she left the school store to snack on the beach, watching the sunset slowly going down.

 _ **"Still, you must admit that your skills are improving each and every day,"**_ commented Aussa. _**"And don't think we haven't noticed you tinkering around with the smaller broken objects you constantly find all over campus."**_

"Still...I've got a lot to learn as a trainee mechanic."

 _ **"Hey, wait a second. Is that Chazz and that one guy who's Alexis' brother?"**_ spoke up Hiita, pointing to the two young teens on the sandy beach.

Peering closely, Elize nodded before waving at them. "Yeah. They're coming here right now. Maybe to say hello or something?"

Sure enough, Atticus and Chazz appeared in front of her as Elize was chewing on a small cookie. Atticus was giving off a friendly vibe, giving her a wave for a greeting while Chazz appeared a little troubled for some reason.

"Hello, Atticus and Chazz. How are you today?" asked Elize politely, having swallowed her cookie.

"Great. Mind if I see your deck real quick?" requested Chazz.

"Hmm? Su-" Taking out her deck in confusion, Elize was about to present it to him when he suddenly snatched it away from her. "Hey!"

"Chazz! How rude! You shouldn't take something from a lady unless given permission!" scolded Atticus, hitting him on the forehead before taking Elize's deck from him. He turned and gave Elize a gentle smile. "Would it be okay if we looked at your deck real quick?"

"Um...okay? You are going to give it back, right?" asked Elize, understandably wary thanks to Chazz.

"Of course! Of course!" Looking through each card in the deck, Atticus nodded to himself before complimenting, "These cards are pretty cute! Some may just help in your new love deck, Chazz! Hey, Elize? Would it be okay if Chazz borrowed some of your cards?"

"Huh? May I ask why?"

Although Elize looked like the type of person to keep a secret, Atticus decided not to take that chance. It wasn't that he didn't trust Elize, but if she knew the reasoning behind their actions, then she might tell Alexis, and that could mess up their plans!

"Er...Let's just say that Chazz's future depends on it and he'll be really happy if he uses some of your cards for an important duel tommorow!" explained Atticus, knowing it wasn't a total lie. "Besides, it's only for tommorow! After the duel, we'll give the cards back, okay?"

"Huh? An important duel?" wondered Elize. "Okay. If it's that important to Chazz, then go ahead!"

"See? You shouldn't take things, Chazz! It's only polite to ask first," spoke Atticus to Chazz, as if scolding him like he was a child. "Now, what do you say?"

"...Thanks, and sorry for trying to take your cards earlier," mumbled Chazz.

"Now, was that so hard?"

"You know, if you weren't helping me and if you weren't Alexis' brother, I'd probably leave you in the dirt by now."

"...But we're in the beach."

"You know what I mean!"

Sweatdropping as she listened to the conversation, Elize drank the remainder of her strawberry milk before tossing it to the trash next to her. Well, whatever plans they had for tommorow couldn't be that harmful.

* * *

 _The next day..._

"The Spirit Keys are missing?!"

Immediantly after receiving a distress call and a quick explanation on the situation from Sheppard, Elize and the others hurried onwards towards the beach. Apparently, Chazz stole the Spirit Keys last night and left a letter, saying that he'll be awaiting for their arrival at the beach if they wished for the return of the Spirit Keys.

"I...I don't get it!" panted Elize, hurrying onwards along with the others. "Why would Chazz want the Spirit Keys for?! Didn't we defeat all the Shadow Riders?!"

"Yeah! Good point!" agreed Syrus. "Why'd he do something like this?"

"Whatever reason he has, we'll find out when we get to the beach," assured Zane as they were halfway there.

Upon reaching the beach, the group ceased to a halt when they spotted Chazz, along with the seven Spirit Keys tied around his neck. Just like the letter mentioned, Chazz has been waiting for them, wishing for them to confront him.

"Chazz has the keys!" pointed out Syrus.

Jaden stepped forward, asking, "Uh...Chazz? What up?"

"Joke's over! Give us the keys, Chazz!" demanded Alexis.

"Not yet," spoke Chazz, shaking his head. His words suggested that he held no interest in the Spirit Keys and that he intended to return them once his business was over.

"Uh...well, when then?"

Awkwardly, Chazz sputtered, "W-When you...and I...duel! S-So, let's go, A-Alexis!"

"Huh?" Now Alexis was confused. A duel? That's what this was all about?

"Why do you want to duel her?" Even Jaden was just as confused as everyone else.

"Because...Because I'm in love!" confessed Chazz. "Got it?! A-And Alexis is, too! She just doesn't know it, yet! But soon, she will!"

"And how's that?" questioned Jaden, Chumley, and Syrus.

"Wait a second..." Recalling her meeting with Chazz and Atticus from yesterday, Elize concluded that this must be Chazz's important duel. "THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER?!"

"Honestly!" groaned Alexis. She couldn't believe all of this trouble was because of some love crush Chazz has on her. "Why do you think that?"

"Because I told him so!" answered Atticus, playing his ukulele while standing on a small rowboat near the shores. So, Atticus was somewhat involved in this whole situation as well.

"How would you know?" asked Zane.

"'Cause I know her! And dear little sis needs a helping hand with her love life!" Atticus proclaimed before reverting to Alexis. "Come on! He stole the Spirit Keys just for you!"

"And that's romance?" questioned Syrus. "News to me."

Jaden and Elize couldn't have agreed more. "I second that!"

"This...is probably even worst than Blair's love attempt. And that's saying A LOT."

 _'At times like this, I wish he was back in a coma,'_ thought Alexis, annoyed at her brother and his continuous habit of acting as Cupid for love.

"Anyone up for just tackling him?" suggested Zane, resisting the urge to sigh. If there's anyone who's known Atticus the longest, it would be both Zane and Alexis, and they both knew his antics and this was just another one of them.

"Not a bad thought!" agreed Jaden.

"Wait, we can't do that! Violence isn't the answer!" disagreed Elize, shaking her head. "Besides, I think that'll just make things worse."

"Ugh...You're probably right."

"Hey! What's the hold up?!" yelled Chazz, growing impatient.

Sensing Chazz's determination to see this duel through to the bitter end, Alexis couldn't help but respect a duelist like that, but that also meant she had to deal with this troublesome situation on her own, as Chazz specifically requested for her to duel him. _'Well...I guess one duel couldn't hurt...'_

"Fine!" decided Alexis, causing Atticus and Chazz to cheer since their plan was growing into fruition. "I'll duel! Whatever! One thing! Even if I lose this, the keys go back!"

"Alright, but then I get something to take their place! You as a girlfriend!" replied Chazz, daydreaming about future romantic ideas before ranting on. "And then we can hold hands! Take walks! Write notes! That's the deal!"

Everyone sweatdropped upon hearing him rant on about their potential love life together should Chazz win. In fact, they were feeling sorry for Alexis, who's being forced to deal with all of this, but deciding the best way they could support her is to cheer her on.

"Fine! That's the deal! But it's not gonna happen!" promised Alexis, activating her duel disk as she tried to keep her temper under control. "Now, let's do this, Chazz!"

"I will!" said Chazz happily, also activating his own duel disk. "And I'll show you that you love me!"

"LET'S DUEL!"

 **\- Duel -**

 **Chazz - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Alexis - 4000 LP**

"Here goes!" said Chazz, making the first move. "Alright! I'll start by summoning Maiden in Love in Attack Mode!"

Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)

"Hey! That's one of the cards Chazz borrowed! Oh no!" cried out Elize. She didn't really think he would use it in a manner like this! How could she have known any of this would have happened?!

Chazz continued, "And next, I'll set two facedowns and activate the Spell, Love Letter! Here's how it works! First off, if I have a facedown and a Monster on my field, then you get a gift! Either my Monster or my facedown becomes yours! Aww, aren't I sweet? And that's just the first of gifts you'll be getting from me! The Chazz knows how to treat his ladies!~"

"I'm not your lady, Chazz!" reminded Alexis. "But if I have to take your gift, fine! I'll take one of your facedowns!"

Chazz nodded, thinking, _'Perfect! Everything is going according to plan! Atticus was right! Dueling is just like old-fashioned courting! After all, her accepting my facedown card is just like her accepting an actual love letter from me! A...love letter I probably would have been too scared to deliver in real life.'_

Once the mysterious facedown card appeared on Alexis' side of the field, Chazz resumed his turn. "There's more! Next, I play the Spell card, Giant Trunade! What it does is return all Spells and Traps on the field back to our hands, so I'll take that facedown back now!"

Elize grew confused from this unusual strategy, thinking, _'I'm confused...Why play that card so early? Alexis hasn't even started her own turn...unless he's really aiming for those set facedowns...'_

Once the two facedown cards returned to Chazz, since they were at his hand from the start, thus belonging to him, Chazz revealed one of the two previous facedown cards in his hand. "Aww, that's so sweet of you to give this back to me so soon! And now I think I'll activate it! Hidden Wish! When Hidden Wish returns from my opponent's field back to my hand, it deals 1000 Points of Damage to you while I regain 1000 Points!"

"Oh no!" gasped Alexis, now realizing the intent of his move.

 **Chazz - 5000 LP**

 **Alexis - 3000 LP**

"Thanks, darling! I just knew us dueling would bring us closer!" thanked Chazz as if Alexis was the one who had given him extra Life Points even though she had no part in it whatsoever. "Are you feeling the sparks?"

Alexis grew more eerie and grossed out by Chazz's romantic attempts as Syrus also felt the same. "I'm feeling nauseous..."

"And now I'll activate my other facedown! The card known as Treasure Map!" said Chazz, refering to the other set card that had been blown back to his hand thanks to Giant Trunade. "Once I send it to the Graveyard, I get to draw two more cards! And I'll lay them both facedown before equipping Maiden in Love with Cupid's Kiss!"

"Nooo! Where'd he even get that card?!" exclaimed Elize, worried. "That wasn't even from my own deck!"

"It was all thanks to me!" called out Atticus. "Luckily, I had a card perfect for the cute little Maiden in Love, so I gave it to Chazz just in case!"

"That's...really bad!"

"Now I end my turn! Let's see what you can do, darling!~" said Chazz, eagered to see how she'll counterattack.

Drawing her card aggressively, Alexis growled, "Fine! Let's go! I summon Etoile Cyber in Attack Mode!"

Etoile Cyber - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1200/1600)

"Now go! Take out that Maiden in Love!"

Elize then cried out, "No, wait! Alexis, don't! It's a trick!"

Unfortunately, it was too late as Etoile Cyber kicked Maiden in Love across the face, causing the poor female Duel Monster to pummel around the ground.

 **Chazz - 4200 LP**

 **Alexis - 3000 LP**

"And now, Maiden in Love's effect activates!" said Chazz with a victorious grin. "First, as long as she's in Attack Mode, she can't be destroyed, and if she's attacked, the Monster who attacks her gains a Maiden Counter!"

 _ **"Waaaah! That hurt so much!"**_ sobbed Maiden in Love as a heart symbol appeared by itself on Etoile Cyber's chest.

 _ **"My God...I didn't realize I hurt such a poor and innocent child! I'm sorry!"**_ apologized Etoile Cyber, bending down to hug her.

 _'Even though she's part of my team, she still hasn't changed completely,'_ thought Elize, sweatdropping.

"Wait, so what's the bad part?" wondered Syrus.

Elize explained, "Because Maiden in Love is equipped with Cupid's Kiss, if she attacks a Monster with a Maiden Counter, that Monster will go to her side. That means that if Etoile Cyber is attacked again, then she'll join Chazz's side."

"What?! But...But Chazz wouldn't dare attack again, would he? He'd only be decreasing Life Points!"

"Actually Syrus...I think Chazz might!"

Hearing Elize's explanation about the effects made Alexis somewhat relieved. This meant that she has been warned beforehand what to do, so Alexis can prepare herself for any upcoming attacks. Knowing Chazz and his lovesick condition, Elize might be right; Chazz might attack.

"I'll set a card and end my turn!" said Alexis.

"Now! It's my turn!" spoke Chazz sharply. "I play the Spell card, Graceful Charity! Now I draw three new cards and discard two from my hand! Oh! Pot of Greed! Looks like I get to draw two more cards! Now I activate my facedown Trap, Ojama Trio! Now three Ojama Tokens get to be Special Summoned on your side of the field in Defense Mode!"

Ojama Token - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000) X3

"Oh, and you can't use them for a Tribute Summon and if one of them gets destroyed, you get 300 Points of Damage! It's so great to share! And now, Maiden in Love! Attack Etoile Cyber!"

"Oh man! He really is going to attack!" said Jaden.

"And if he attacks again, he'll gain control of Etoile Cyber!" Elize said.

 _ **"Etoiley! Please, comfort me! Hug me! I need a hug!"**_ sobbed Maiden in Love as Etoile Cyber rushed over and kneeled before her.

 _ **"Shh...Shh...it's alright...I'm here for you and ready to do as you ask me to..."**_

 _'Great, now Alexis' Monster now belongs to Chazz,'_ thought Elize, watching Etoile Cyber leave Alexis' field for Chazz. _'And it's all my fault!'_

"Now, Etoile Cyber! Attack one of those Ojamas!" ordered Chazz.

"Not so fast, Chazz!" shouted Alexis. "I activate my Trap, Waboku! None of my Monsters can be destroyed and I take no Battle Damage, so it's pointless to attack me!"

"Grr...! Fine! Then, I'll just activate my facedown card, Polymerization! I fuse Ojama Black, Ojama Green, and Ojama Yellow to conmbine into Ojama King!"

Ojama King - (LIGHT/Beast/Fusion) - LV6 - (0/3000)

"And now, thanks to Ojama King's special ability, up to three of your Monsters Zones can't be used!"

Alexis was taken aback, knowing this meant that since the Ojama Tokens took up three of her Monster Zones, Ojama King's effect just occupied her last remaining two Monster Zones, meaning she had no more space to summon any of her own Monsters!

What a clever, sneaky strategy!

"Next, I'll throw a facedown and end my turn!" said Chazz confidently now that his strategy has proven successful. "So tell me, are you feeling the fuzzies yet? After all, I built up your field and even managed to take one of your Monsters to show how much I love you! Right?"

Syrus sighed. "He is so gone."

While the others agreed, Bastion reflected back on his love experiences with Tania and couldn't help but support Chazz a little. "It is...sort of romantic...?"

Since it was Alexis' turn, she stared intensely at her card as she continued struggling with a strategy to overcome this trial. _'If I could just get her on the field, I might have a chance,'_ she thought, looking at a particularly powerful Monster. _'But I can't even sacrifice one of those Ojama freaks to summon her!'_ "I'm throwing down a facedown and ending my turn!"

"Fine! My turn!" said Chazz. "I equip the Spell, Dress Up, to Ojama King, increasing his Attack Points by 300!"

 _ **"Thanks for the new get-up!"**_ thanked Ojama King, loving his new white suit.

"And it's got another effect! Thanks to Dress Up, I get to switch one of your Monsters into Attack Mode! Another gift for you!"

"But wait..." spoke Syrus, calculating the differences. "All of her Monsters have no Attack Points!"

"Technically, they're Tokens, but you're right," said Elize.

"No joke!" gasped Jaden, realizing how bad this was for Alexis. "And it gets worse! If Chazz attacks with Etoile Cyber, she'll lose 1200 Life Points! And what's worse is that for each Token destroyed, Alexis loses 300 more Life Points and Chazz can keep doing this, dealing lots of damage towards her!"

"You got that right!" said Chazz. "Because then, she will lose the match! And I will win a girlfriend! Ahahahaha!"

 _'Ew! Me and Chazz, a couple? I better do something and I better do it fast!'_ thought Alexis, unfathomed by the idea of them being a couple.

"Let's see here..." contemplated Chazz. "On one hand, I could win this duel right now and win a girlfriend...BUT! What would the Chazz having a girlfriend mean if she wasn't really madly in love with me?! Ojama King, attack Ojama Black now!"

 _ **"I agree!"**_ bellowed Ojama King, fully supportive of his master's wishes.

 _'Chazz...I don't think Alexis ever really loved you to begin with,'_ thought Elize, sweatdropping.

Placing his hands on the sides of his head in confusion, Jaden exclaimed, "Wait, so then...he's not gonna force any of the Ojamas into Attack Mode?! He keeps defending?!"

Ojama King flew towards Ojama Black, who propelled himself forward and headbutted Ojama King, blocking his efforts to destroy him as he sent Ojama King back flying to Chazz's side of the field.

 **Chazz - 3500 LP**

 **Alexis - 3000 LP**

"Aww, see how a sweet guy I am? But there's more!" continued Chazz. "Next I play the Trap, Dramatic Crossroads! It's decision time! Now pay attention! Option #1; you discard one random card! Option #2; you show your entire hand to me and then I'm allowed to take one of your cards for myself!"

Even a novice could see that this was a stupid choice as there was no point in activating such a card for no apparent reason.

"Why...would she do that?" Syrus wondered, speaking outloud from everyone's thoughts.

"BECAUSE! If Alexis _really_ loves me, then she'll trust me and let me see her hand! She'll give me her very best card as proof of our love!" explained Chazz, getting wildly excited. "Then, she and I will live happily ever after! So, now! Make your choice!"

Alexis didn't even need a second thought to decide what her choice would be. She's been too patient with Chazz and decided what was to be done had to be done. "Okay, Chazz. Listen up. You're not ever gonna see my hand, you got it?"

Chazz was so shocked from her cold rejection that he fell backwards. "I'm shot down?!"

"Listen, wanna know who I love?" Placing a hand near her heart, Alexis smiled. "I am...in love with dueling."

"Oh! Chazz!" cried out Atticus pushing aside Jaden and the others to rush to Chazz's side. "Crash and burn, dude!"

"Yeah?! So what?!" shouted Chazz, filled with newfound determination as he stood up quickly by himself. "Don't forget! If I still win this, you'll still be mine, Alexis!"

Even Atticus could see this was a lost cause. "Dude, it's over."

Glancing seriously at Alexis, Chazz reminded her, "If you won't love me, then I'll beat you, and you'll have to go out with me!"

Turning her cards around, Alexis began to shuffle them until she was satisfied, then stared at the back of her cards, which was blank. Hoping for luck, Alexis discarded one of the random cards to her Graveyard, which so happened to be Cyber Tutu.

"You done? Then, I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Alexis, drawing her card. "Ha! If you really want a wedding, here's your one chance! I play the Field Spell, Ritual Sanctuary!"

With the wedding bells chiming across the field, the field itself transformed into a sacred background for the inside of a grand church; being both beautiful and beneficial for Alexis.

"Now, thanks to Ritual Sanctuary's effect, by discarding a Spell card from my hand, I'm able to add any Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand! I now play Machine Angel Ritual!" announced Alexis as the entire church's color changed to that of a steel-like color. "Now any Monster with Angel in its name can be Ritual Summoned!"

At first, Chazz panicked since he knew how powerful her Ritual Monsters were, but he realized he practically blocked all of her Monster Zones and that the only Monsters out on her field were the Ojama Tokens.

"No way! You've got no Monster Zones because of those Ojamas and Ojama King's effect!" reminded Chazz. "And you can't get rid of those tokens, either!"

Alexis had to object to that. "Oh yes, I can! Remember, this is a Ritual Summoning!"

"So what? What's that got to do with anything?"

"Everything! Because it's a Ritual Summoning, their effect of being unable to be tributed doesn't apply to this! And that no sacrificing rule doesn't apply to Ritual Summoning! And the Monster I'm calling requires all three Ojamas! Plus, since they're not being destroyed, I don't take the Effect Damage or any other damage! But you sure are going to, Chazz! Now, come out, Cyber Angel Benten!"

An elegant female warrior wielding two steel fans as weapons and garbed in light, elegant armor shined down from the heavens above once the conditions were fufilled for her own Ritual Summoning.

Cyber Angel Benten - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV6 - (1800/1500)

 _'Oh! I see! I've got to take note of that the next time I Ritual Summon! ...Which, I don't really do often,'_ thought Elize, intrigued by Alexis' strategy.

"Cyber Angel Benten, attack his king!" commanded Alexis. "Angel Flight Flurry!"

Gaining closer distance towards Ojama King, Cyber Angel Benten began her fury of assaults, whacking the humongous Monster several times with her steel fan.

 **Chazz - 2000 LP**

 **Alexis - 3000 LP**

"Now for Cyber Angel's special effect! You take damage equal to the original Defense Points of the Monster that was just destroyed in battle! I'm sorry, Chazzy!"

"That can't be...! That would leave the Chazz with...nothing...!" gasped Chazz before falling to his knees, knowing his immediate defeat.

 **Chazz - 0 LP**

 **Alexis - 3000 LP**

 **Winner: Alexis**

"She beat me...! My darling beat me! So much for true love...which is fine!" Struggling to deal with his rejection emotions at the moment, Chazz stood up on his own, fist pumping at the air before declaring, "Because the Chazz...always rides alone!"

Clearly, he was still upset about his loss in defeat as evident of him falling back to his knees in the sand and openly sobbing out loud. "Alexis!" called Atticus, running to aid in the dejected teen's misery. "At least you could let him down gently!"

"I...I can't help but feel bad for Chazz," admitted Elize, feeling sorry for him. She never knew what romantic love felt like, but now she felt a little hurt just like he was, so in a way, she was sharing a bit of his burden. It was so bad, that she considered forgiving him for using her cards like that in that last duel.

Walking up to Chazz, Alexis knew that he was a strong person, so he'd get over the rejection quickly. "Still be friends?"

The question never came answered as the ground started quaking, bringing everyone's attention to the dire danger at hand. The whole Spirit Key thief incident was quickly forgotten for the moment as another problem resided right now.

"What Banner warned us about!" gasped Jaden, realizing what this meant. "It's here!"

* * *

 **Skit: Family Cat**

"Ah! No, Pharaoh! That's not a toy! You'll get germs from it! It's dirty and has some rust in it!" called out Elize, chasing after Pharaoh inside her dorm room. While Elize was fixing a toaster, Pharaoh had snatched a wrench from her toolbox before running off in circles around the room.

When Elize managed to catch Pharaoh, she grunted as she lifted the heavy cat onto her bed, taking the wrench from his mouth before placing a cat bowl full of cat food on the ground. The trick appeared to have worked, as Pharaoh jumped down from her bed and began chewing on the healthy cat food.

"Whew!" Taking the wrench, Elize went to her sink and started scrubbing soap in it, hoping to clean it before washing it clean with water and leaving it to dry on its own. "Okay, after I fix the toaster and after Pharaoh's meal, I'll clean his teeth and make sure there aren't any germs and-"

 _ **"You seem to be working hard, as usual, Elly!~"**_ said Eria, patting Elize on the head. _**"But isn't it Jaden's turn to watch over Pharaoh?"**_

"Oh! It's fine! Jaden's already asleep so I don't want to disturb him!"

 _ **"What's going on?"**_ wondered Silent Magician shyly.

 _ **"Yeah! Can we play with the fat cat?"**_ asked White Magician Pikeru.

Aussa shook her head. _**"No, and that's a rude thing to say, Pikeru. And to answer your question, Silent Magician, Elize here is taking care of Pharaoh the cat."** _

Silent Magician tilted her head. _**"Since when does Elize own a cat?"**_

 _ **"Since the original owner died. She and Jaden are currently taking care of the cat together. Well, not just them, but Jaden's roommates as well, but mostly the two of them."**_

 _ **"Ooh! Does that mean that Elize has found her future husband? Jaden?"**_ teased White Magician Pikeru. _**"After all, taking care of a cat is like practice for taking care of a baby!~"**_

"Huh? No, no! It's not like that at all!" cried out Elize, embarrassed. "I don't think of Jaden as my husband! We're not even married!"

 _ **"Yet!~"**_ Eria also teased with a grin. _**"But you gotta admit, he is pretty cute and handsome! Plus, he can see Duel Spirits too and is really kind! I approve of him!"**_

 _ **"Quit teasing her. Besides, Elize is too young to be thinking of love at her age,"**_ scolded Aussa.

 _ **"Boo! You're such a kill-joy, Aussa!"**_

 _ **"It's my personal job to make sure Elize grows up healthy and caring, so if I must be called a kill-joy, so be it."**_

"Thank you, really," thanked Elize, bowing her head. "But I'll be fine. I have no interest in marrying Jaden, anyways. I'm sure he'll find a nice person someday and-Pharaoh! Get away from the toolbox!"

* * *

 **Skit: Spirit Advice**

 _ **"So, lemme get this straight,"**_ spoke Maiden in Love, floating around the air as she remained in Chazz's room for the night. _**"You went all this way out for a girl you're going to duel tommorow, and to force her to duel you, you're going to steal the seven Spirit Keys?"**_

"That pretty much sums it up, yeah," said Chazz.

 _ **"Well, why didn't you ask me for any love advice? I'm the Maiden in Love, meaning I've got a lot of love advice towards a guy's heart!"**_

Shooting up from his bed, Chazz exclaimed, "Hey, wait a minute! I'm a guy! Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

 _ **"Oops! Sorry! I've been so used to tricking others, especially male Duel Spirits, that I'm more of a pro towards men and their hearts instead of women!"**_

"That's not pro advice, that's just you manipulating them!" said Chazz. "Anyways, tell me anything I can use on Alexis! Anything to make her fall in love with me even more!"

 _ **"Simple! When you get her to be your girlfriend, all you have to do is always be by her side, loving her with every breath of your life, treating her with kindness and making sure that she's alright!"**_

"That's...Okay advice, but anything else?"

 _ **"Oh! When it gets to the real hot stuff, make sure to know if she's kinky or not!"**_

"Wait, what?"

 _ **"I'm gonna sleep now! Bye!"**_

"Wait, get back here! What do you mean! TELL ME!"

* * *

 **Some parts of the duel were changed, but that hardly matters much! See ya and stay tune!~ Heard the fireworks might come on early, maybe tommorow! Anyways, Fourth of July will be coming soon! Whoo!**


	26. Rise of the Sacred Beasts

**Never fear, guys! The next chapter's here!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Just a few moments ago, the entire island had been under what seemed to be an earthquake when all of a sudden, all activity on the island stopped, including the island, causing an eerie silence. Anything involving an earthquake was never good, so the group awaited for anymore unexpected events.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Jaden voiced his question out loud.

Meanwhile, underground where the altar of the seven Spirit Gates were secretly located, green light flashed from the altar and sent a narrow beam straight upwards from underground up towards the blue skies before it disappeared. The second it did, however, the ground started shaking again, causing the earth and trees to collapse around a different area deep in the forest. Seven pillars towered over the area as it made a huge crater.

"What Banner warned us about!" gasped Jaden. "It's here!"

"Gah! The Spirit Keys! Something's happening to them!" cried out Chazz, noticing the Spirit Keys floating within a strange glowing light. With a yelp, Chazz was forcibly dragged byt the Spirit Keys as the keys themselves were attempting to go elsewhere.

"Where are you going, Chazz?" wondered Alexis.

"I. DON'T. KNOW! HEEEEELLLLPPPP MEEEE!"

Without wasting another second, the group chased after Chazz, trying to keep up with him as the keys were leading him towards the very location where the seven pillars were. Several minutes later, the group were well deep in the forest where the keys were close to their designated location. The keys started to lift themselves upwards, unintentionally dragging Chazz along with them.

"Just hang on, Chazz!" shouted Jaden, running faster in order to grab his legs to prevent him from flying.

"What do you think I'm-!" Before Chazz finished his sentence, he crashed into a tree branch and fell to the ground, loosening his grip on the Spirit Keys as they flew out of his grasp and towards the seven pillars.

Stopping near the pillars, the others glanced up in time to see the Spirit Keys disappearing into the seven pillars one by one. "The keys! They're being absorbed!" said Zane.

"They're opening up the Spirit Gates!"

"Oh, no!"

"Isn't that like, bad?!"

"What should we do?!"

"What did you do, Chazz?!"

"It's not my fault!" exclaimed Chazz while the others glared at him. Technically, if Chazz had never stolen the keys in the first place, none of this could have possibly have happened.

Even so, Elize was at least the more compassionate one of the group as she stood in front of Chazz, shielding him from the others. "Wait, wait, wait! I don't think even Chazz could have done this! Don't shift the blame onto him!"

Chazz sighed. "Finally! Someone who gets it!"

"I mean, he really did do a bad thing by stealing the keys and all that, but I'm sure he didn't do anything this time!"

Chazz was really unsure whether or not Elize was defending him at this point or not, but all the things she said were...correct. He's probably going to get in huge trouble with Chancellor Sheppard when this entire mess is all over.

The top of the seven pillars lit up all at the same time, indicating that the process of the seven Spirit Gates were now complete and ready to be open anytime.

"Children!" called out Sheppard as he and Crowler rushed up to the group as fast as their feet could carry them.

"What's happening?!" asked Crowler once he and Sheppard managed to catch up to them. "I'm sure this is all your fault, Jaden!"

"Hey, I didn't steal those keys!" protested Jaden.

Everyone else pointed accusedly at Chazz. "It was Chazz!"

Chazz gulped and tried to wave off the accusation by trying to make a lighthearted excuse. "I was just...uh... _borrowing_ the keys! For Alexis!"

Sighing, Alexis shook her head. "Don't you dare drag me into your big mess."

From the center of the crater, an altar appeared through some rumbling around in the earth. From the altar, a capsule appeared and was unloaded on the center of the altar. The sides of the capsule released themselves as a ball of light was shown onto the capsule, revealing three Sacred Beast cards.

"Whoa! It's the Sacred Beast cards!" said Chazz, startled like everyone else. Before the others could so much as inch closer towards the cards, a booming voice stopped them in their tracks.

 **"Those cards do not belong to you!"**

From high in the skies, a plane caught everyone's attention as the back of the plane opened, exposing a strange machine with spider-like legs before the machine fell and started to fall down.

"What is that?" asked Jaden.

Chazz rolled his eyes. "Yeah, ask me like I'm gonna know!"

At first, it seemed like the machine was going to crash from the high altitude and distance it was from how high it was towards the ground, but parachutes shot out from the machinery, gently making the machine float down. Once the machine was halfway close to the ground, the parachutes released themselves and caused the machine to fall down safely with a huge crash. Once all was settled, the machinery with the robotic spider-like legs revealed to have an old man trapped in a glass tube filled with life support liquid while somehow maintaining control.

 **"The cards belong to me!"** spoke the old man through the life support mask.

Clearly, nobody could have anticipated that an old man equipped with strange machinery would just fly down from the sky and crash down, stopping them from getting their hands on the Sacred Beast cards.

"Wait a moment...I know that voice," muttered Sheppard.

 **"It's been quite a while, Sheppard. Although the years have not been kind,"** spoke the old man, reverting towards Sheppard.

"It's Kagemaru! Our Superintendant!" Sheppard gasped, now recognizing the elderly man, even if he has gotten older and it had been a long time since last they met. Even the students were surprised to learn that the Chancellor knew a strange person such as Kagemaru and the fact that an elderly man was after the Sacred Beasts all this time.

 **"I built this school! And now I've returned for my Sacred Beast cards!"**

Of course, there was no possibility of the others ever allowing a selfish old man access to the cards. "Hold up there, test tube!" insulted Jaden.

"You want them? You're gonna have to get through us!" shouted Chazz. "That's how this works!"

 **"Fools! I am Kagemaru, master of the Shadow Games! It was I who first sealed the cards here! It was I who gave Sheppard the seven keys!"**

Crowler gasped, unknowing of this valulable information. "What?! Sheppard?!"

 **"Alone, they are worthless. To unlock the Spirit Gates, all that is required is Dueling Energy! Energy you expanded trying to protect those keys!"** explained Kagemaru, using his machinery to step closer and closer towards the Sacred Beast cards. **"This is why I arranged all the best duelists to come here! I hoped year after year, class after class, a student would arise with enough spirit to unlock the power of the cards. My Shadow Riders were sent to test you, and only two passed, surprisingly. Two people that had the potential to unlock the power of the Sacred Beasts and help me in ruling the world!"**

Furious at Kagemaru and all the suffering he's caused, Alexis yelled, "A cute story, so why all the tricks? Were you too scared to get the Sacred cards for yourself?!"

Startled by Alexis' anger, but more towards the fearsome Kagemaru, Syrus sputtered, "A-A-Alexis, don't make the scary man mad...!"

Chumley didn't seem troubled nor scared of Kagemaru. "He doesn't seem so tough! He looks like a rejected science project or something!"

Zane, knowing this was going to lead into a tough duel, spoke up with determination. "Listen up! There's no way you're getting those Beast cards! Not so long as I'm here! You got that, Kagemaru? You'll have to duel me for them!"

"Back off!" scoffed Chazz. "It's my duel! And I'll Chazz you up, big time! So, let's go!"

Atticus had to disagree on that. "No way! He's all mine! After all, he and I are... _old_ friends. He transformed me into one of his Shadow Riders!"

Elize glanced around while the others argued on who would duel Kagemaru. All of the candidates were extremely tough in their own league; several times more stronger than her. She'd never have the guts to face Kagemaru alone, and she was still a duelist-in-training, so naturally, the others would have a better chance than her.

 **"No!"** hollered Kagemaru as loudly as he could, silencing the others. **"My opponents will be...Jaden Yuki and Elize Simington."**

"Excuse me, what?" questioned Jaden.

"Why?!" cried out Elize, a little terrified. _'The universe just loves pinning me against tough, scary opponent, don't they! Not...that I have a lot, really.'_

Kagemaru answered, **"You two have proven to be the only two duelists to have the potential to unlock the Sacred Beast cards, and you managed to defeat all of my Shadow Riders! Sure, you had help, but it was mostly the two of you who did all the work. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to have a little more extra Dueling Energy!"**

"That's...actually kinda true," Elize admitted, scratching her cheek. "But I think Jaden would prove a better opponent than m-"

Suddenly, electricity flowed around the seven pillars, connecting them in an electrical circle which could prove very dangerous.

 **"If you refuse, I will see to it that this island and everyone on it sinks to the depths of the ocean deep!"**

"You can't!" gasped Jaden as he and Elize stared at the crazed man with horror and shock.

Upon activation, two mechanical arms appeared on the machinery; one wielding a duel disk. **"I can do anything! With these!"** Before anyone could stop him, Kagemaru quickly snatched the three Sacred Beast cards and placed them onto his deck, and it would be very difficult getting back the cards when one is up against a large machine with an operational elderly man behind the scenes.

"The Sacred Beast cards!"

"Hey, that's not fair!"

"Good luck now," spoke Chazz sarcastically.

 **"Let this Shadow Game begin! I shall take the two of you on in a three-way duel! Or a Tag Duel! Whatever you choose is fine with me!"**

Nervously, Elize turned to Jaden. "Jaden, what do we do? He specifically requested the two of us to fight him, and I don't want the whole island to sink!"

"It's easy! We duel him and win! Simple as that!" replied Jaden, being as carefree as ever.

"Listen, both of you. If you need any advice, don't ask," Chazz said, turning around as he tried climbing up a small ravine.

"Huh? Where are you going?"

"To find a boat!"

Knowing the two of them needed duel disks, Chumley handed his large backpack over to Syrus, who threw it forward. "Catch!" Unluckily for Chazz, the backpack slammed into his face, causing him to slide down the ravine and onto his back while Jaden caught the backpack.

"Chazz! Are you alright?" asked Elize, walking up towards him and trying to help him stand up while brushing some sand off his jacket.

"Just dandy!" said Chazz, yanking his arm away from her as she had tried cleaning it from anymore sand. "You two better not lose! Just got my room all cleaned up and all!"

"No sweat!" promised Jaden before glaring at Kagemaru while fishing out the two duel disks necessary for the duel. "I hope you bought your A-Game, Kagemaru!" Without looking, he tossed the other duel disk to Elize, but accidentally missed, causing the duel disk to hit Chazz.

"JADEN!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

As Jaden placed his duel disk on his arm, the Emerald Tablet once belonging to Banner popped out from the backpack. What was more interesting was a card that was sticking out between the pages of the tome as Jaden took the card. Since it was in the book, it must have belonged to Banner, therefore, Banner must have wanted him to have the card!

"Rock his world, the both of you!" cheered Chumley as Jaden finished shuffling the new card into his deck.

"Thanks! Will do!" thanked Jaden, tossing the backpack back towards Chumley. Chazz had managed to climb on top of the ravine when something gave him a motivated push over. A push called a backpack hitting him in the back of the head.

"Aah! Chazz, are you okay?" asked Elize as she finished putting her duel disk on.

"That does it! I'm outta here!" grumbled Chazz.

"Come on, Chazz!" pouted Jaden. "I need you!"

"You need a big kick in the-"

 **"SILENCE!"** bellowed Kagemaru. **"This is why I hate teenagers!"**

Tugging onto Jaden's arm, Elize inched closer as she spoke to him. "Jaden, I think this should be a 3-way duel instead of us Tag Dueling him."

"Huh? I don't mind, but why?"

"Well, if we Tag Duel him, then he'll get a 4000 extra Life Point boost, meaning he'll have 8000. I really don't think that's wise. Plus, a three-way duel means that two players can team up together to take out one player, and I can support you as much as I can while you attack."

"Hmm...Okay, sure! Hey, Kagemaru! We decided it'll be a 3-way duel!"

 **"It matters not to me! Now, let this duel begin!"**

"Time to get our game on!" said Jaden.

"DUEL/ **DUEL**!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Kagemaru - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"I'll go first!" said Jaden, drawing his card.

"Jaden, we don't know what sort of deck he has!" Elize said. "He's a dangerous opponent, so I think we stay on the defensive for now!"

Jaden, understanding and trusting her logic, nodded. "Got it! I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode!"

Elemental Hero Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)

"I'll set a card and end my turn!"

 **"Then, I shall go next,"** said Kagemaru, allowing his mechanical arms to draw his card. Not only was his mechanical arms acting as arms for holding a duel disk, but they were adapted to holding and using cards as well. **"First, I'll lay three Trap cards facedown."**

"Huh? What a stupid move he made!" said Chazz.

"Wait, why was that a stupid move?" Syrus wondered.

Bastion answered, "Normally, when you set cards, they don't require you to declare whether they're Trap or Spell cards. In a way, by not speaking what type of card it is, you're intentionally trying to trick your opponent."

 **"Yes, but in this case, it is absolutely necessary for me to announce the type of cards out loud. For you see, it's a condition made to summon one of the Sacred Beast cards!"**

"What?!" exclaimed Jaden. "That's such a weird condition!"

"Wait...if that's one of the conditions..." muttered Elize. "Jaden, be careful! I think he's about to summon a Sacred Beast using that condition!"

 **"Yes, and all of you shall bare witness to the first appearance of such almighty creatures, starting with Uria! I sacrifice all three of my Traps to Special Summon Uria, Lord of Searing Flames!"**

Bursting through the air, a twister twirling around with flames and lava rotated around before dying down. Spreading his wings wide and out, a red dragon-like beast roared upon being freed from being trapped in a card for too long.

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (0/0)

 **"Yes! I have successfully summoned the first Sacred Beast! Uria, Lord of Searing Flames!"**

"He looks pretty tough!" commented Jaden.

Elize was trembling, yet trying to keep it together. "Y-yeah...But we shouldn't underestimate Uria, even if he has 0 Attack Points! There has to be a catch!"

 **"I activate Uria's special ability! His Attack and Defense Points depend on the number of Trap cards I have in my Graveyard x 1000! There are 3, so his Attack and Defense Points are now 3000!"**

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (3000/3000)

"That's really bad!" cried out Elize.

 **"Next is Uria's second ability! Once per turn, I can destroy a facedown Trap or Spell card out on the field! So say goodbye to your facedown card, Jaden!"**

Resonating soundwaves echoed from Uria's jaws as his soundwaves were more than enough to pierce through Jaden's facedown card and destroy it.

 **"You're fortunate that because this is a three-way duel, nobody can attack on their first turn, so your Monster is safe. I end my turn!"**

"My turn, draw!" said Elize. "First, I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!"

Mystical Elf - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (800/2000)

"I set two cards facedown and ending my turn!"

"My go!" said Jaden. "I play Polymerization and fusing Clayman on my field with Sparkman in order to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

The huge humanoid machine-like hero with electricity pulsing throughout his armored palms, filling him up with energy.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"And when he's Fusion Summoned, I can destroy one Monster of yours whose original Attack Points are less than my Thunder Giant's! And since Uria originally had 0, he's good to go! Thunder Giant, do your stuff!"

Raising his electrified palms upwards, Thunder Giant sent several bolts of lightning raining down on Uria, leading towards his destruction fairly easily.

 **"Nooo! Not when I just obtained it!"**

"But we're not done yet!" shouted Jaden. "Now, Thunder Giant! Attack Kagemaru directly!"

Bringing down his palms, Thunder Giant released a thunderbolt, striking Kagemaru and his machinery. However, his machinery was immune to electricity, but even so, his Life Points were dealt a huge hit.

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 1600 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Whew! I end my turn now!"

"Wow, it hasn't even been 10 minutes, and already, the duel's coming to a close," commented Chazz. "Lame!"

 **"You...will...pay!"** growled Kagemaru, drawing his card. **"And it shall begin with Uria's resurrection! You see, another special ability of Uria is that all I have to do is send a Trap card from my hand to the Graveyard and he is revived! In addition of another Trap card being added to the Graveyard, his Attack and Defense Points rise by another 1000!"**

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (4000/4000)

"He's back?!" gasped Jaden.

"And he's stronger than ever!" pointed out Elize.

 **"I activate the Field Spell, Fallen Paradise! Once per turn, I'm allowed to draw two more cards so long as I have a Sacred Beast out on the field. I shall draw two cards! And now I activate Uria's effect and destroy one of the girl's facedowns! I choose the left facedown!"**

Elize and Jaden covered their ears as Uria roared once more, revealing Elize's facedown to be Negate Attack before it was destroyed. "No!"

 **"Now with that little interference gone, I will attack and seek my revenge! Uria, destroy the Monster who destroyed you before! Take your vengeance!"**

Widening his jaws, Uria stored a large amount of firepower into one gigantic fireball before firing it at Thunder Giant, who tried to block using his arms.

"Go, my other facedown card!" shouted Elize. "Damage Diet! This halves all damage until the end of this turn!"

Thunder Giant's entire body glowed in a white light, reinforcing his defenses. Even so, this wasn't enough to save him as the fireball caused his body to be caught up in the heated flames before he was destroyed.

 **Jaden - 2800 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 1600 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Are you okay, Jaden?!" asked Elize, panicking. "I-I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect Thunder Giant! I mean, I'm glad you're safe but you have no Monsters, and I know I could have stopped it with Negate Attack, but it was destroyed and this was the best I could do and-"

"Elize, it's okay!" assured Jaden, grinning. "Sure, it was a shame that Thunder Giant got wiped out, but you saved me a lot of trouble by reducing the damage! Thanks!"

 **"Hmph! A minor setback!"** spoke Kagemaru, a little irritated that he couldn't do more damage. **"I shall end my turn, then!"**

"My turn!" Elize said. "Okay! Then, I'll activate my own Polymerization, fusing together Aussa and Wynn from my hand to Fusion Summon Thora the Thunder Charmer in Defense Mode!"

Garbed in bright yellow armor, a blond-haired girl with pigtails wielding a huge hammer with both hands grinned as she leapt from the skies and made her grand appearance.

Thora the Thunder Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1800)

"I activate her special ability! Once per turn, she can target a Monster and decrease that Monster's Attack Points by 500! And I choose Uria!"

Thora raised her hammer up in the air, causing the darkened clouds to summon a bolt of lightning down on Uria as he was slightly weakened.

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (3500/4000)

"I end my turn by laying down a facedown!"

"My go!" said Jaden. "I play Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards! Now, I play Exchange! And since this is a three way duel, I get to choose one player to exchange one card with! Elize, could you come here for a second?"

Elize nodded, running up towards him. "Coming!"

"I don't get it," said Syrus, watching Jaden and Elize revealing the cards in their hands to each other before making their exchange. "Why didn't Jaden use Exchange on Kagemaru?"

"It's simple, really," Bastion explained. "If Jaden revealed his cards to Kagemaru, Kagemaru would no doubt know what sort of cards Jaden had, giving Jaden a huge disadvantage. Plus, in a way, this is another part of Jaden's partnership trust with Elize. Maybe they're helping each other out by giving one card that the other desperately needs."

Once Jaden created some distance between him and Elize, he continued his turn. "I summon Bubbleman to the field!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"When Bubbleman's all alone on the field when I summon him, I get to draw two more cards! I activate Fusion Recovery, letting me take back Polymerization and an Elemental Hero back from my Graveyard and into my hand! Next, I use Polymerization and fuse Avian, Sparkman, and then Bubbleman to create the Elemental Hero Tempest!"

With the combined forces of all three Monsters, the Fusion-Material Monsters merged together into one ball which instantly exploded upon the appearance of Tempest arriving.

Elemental Hero Tempest - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2800)

 **"Do you honestly think that'll be enough to stop me?"** questioned Kagemaru.

"Hold on there, Kagemaru! Who says that was all the tricks I've got?" spoke Jaden with a smirk. "I attack with Tempest and activate the Quick-Play Spell, Ego Boost! Now that Tempest has declared an attack, he gains 1000 Attack Points until the end of the Battle Phase!"

Elemental Hero Tempest - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (3800/2800)

"That's just enough to take down Uria! Again!" spoke Syrus.

Tempest soared through the skies while zooming down towards Uria, extending his arm to reveal his gauntler cannon before it fired a burst of energy, shooting down Uria.

 **Jaden - 2800 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 1300 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

Elemental Hero Tempest - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2800)

 **"Do you honestly believe that'll be the end of Uria, one of the great Sacred Beasts? When my turn comes, I'll just re-summon him again over and over, with him becoming more stronger than the last!"**

"Maybe, but I was able to beat Uria again! You had to accept that much!" retorted Jaden. "And I couldn't have done it without Elize, of course! Her cards helped me out!"

"W-what?!" exclaimed Elize, embarrassed. "N-No! It's not that! This was all on you, Jaden! You were the one with the strongest Monster! I didn't help that much..."

"You decrease his Monster's Attack Points, enough for me to finish him off! I'd say that was enough!"

"Still..."

"Alright, alright! We'll both share the victory!" Jaden said, ceasing the argument. "We're working together to beat this guy, anyways! Might as well share the glory! Now, I set two cards facedown and ending my turn!"

 **"My turn, then!"** Kagemaru spoke, drawing his card. **"I discard my 5th Trap card to the Graveyard to activate Uria's special ability! Revive once more, Uria!"**

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (5000/5000)

"He keeps coming back, more and more stronger!" gasped Alexis.

 **"Because I have a Sacred Beast on my field, I activate the Field effect of Fallen Paradise, allowing me to draw two more cards. I set three Spell cards facedown! Now that the conditions are met, I sacrifice all three Spell cards in order to Special Summon the one and only Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!"**

Just like the name suggests, a huge bolt of lightning that blinded the entire area struck downwards near where Uria was. Once the flash disappeared after a while and everyone can see clearly, what they saw next was a skull-like monstrosity that suited well to be a Sacred Beast.

Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (4000/4000)

"Another Sacred Beast?! This is really bad, Jaden!" cried out Elize. "Don't worry! I'll still provide support!"

Jaden seemed uncertain. "Uh...Elize? I think for the time being, you should worry about yourself!"

"No way! I've got two defensive Monsters! And besides, Thora can't be destroyed in battle thanks to her special ability!"

 **"Is that so? Then, I activate the Spell card, Raigeki, to destroy all your pesky little Monsters!"**

Sensing Elize and Jaden would be in immediate danger because of the Shadow Game, both Thora and Mystical Elf used their own magic to create a protective barrier around the two, protecting them as lightning bolts struck them in vital spots, causing them to be destroyed. However, because Raigeki could only target one opponent's field at a time, Jaden's Elemental Hero Tempest was perfectly unscathed.

"Oh no!" gasped Elize before realizing that the Sacred Beast' bodies were glowing. "Why...are they glowing?"

Various cries from their friends in the background called out for their attention as they held their decks in their hands in astonishment. At first, it wasn't clear what they were saying because they were speaking at the same time, but a minute later, it became clearer to both Jaden and Elize.

"Hey! My cards!"

"Why are my Monsters...disappearing?"

"This is impossible!"

"What's happening to my cards?!"

 **"If you're wondering what's happening, it's quite simple, really,"** explained Kagemaru. **"The Sacred Beast are merely absorbing all the energies of every single Duel Monster in the world, constantly growing stronger. It'll only be a matter of time before every single Monster gets erased from existence!"**

"What?! You cheater!" yelled Chazz. "Were you just messing with us?! That means that Jaden and Red Hat Girl's Monsters will be involved too!"

 **"Not necessarily, no. Their cards will be the only ones unaffected...for now. The only reason being is that they're currently in a Shadow Game with me. But, once I defeat both of them, I'll have permanently the power to control and speak to Duel Spirits because of their high spiritual ability to do so! Aahahaha!"**

"So...if we lose..." muttered Jaden. "Even the existence of Duel Monsters will disappear from this world?"

 **"Correct, and I shall become ruler over this world! And since I'll be immortal, I'll be ruler for all of eternity!"**

Zane gritted his teeth. "So, that's why the Sacred Beast cards were sealed away! It's basically saying that the entire world of Duel Monsters will be destroyed if they were summoned!"

Chills ran down Elize's spine as her mind registered about the possible results of the duel. Even now, the Sacred Beasts were absorbing the Duel Spirits' power, draining them of their life even as they speak. Her and Jaden's cards are fine for now, but if they were to lose, then there would be nobody left to face up against Kagemaru! Not even the King of Games himself! More importantly, if Elize loses her Duel Spirits...

It'd be losing her own family as well.

Eyes unwavering and determined, Elize turned to Jaden. "Jaden, no matter what happens, we have to win this!"

Nodding, Jaden couldn't have agreed more. "Gotcha! That's what I was thinking, too! Yeah, there's no way I-no, _we_ will let Kagemaru get away with this!"

 **"Allow me to demonstrate a portion of the Sacred Beast' power as a special treat!"** Kagemaru proclaimed as his body suddenly began...de-aging. His body was growing more lean, healthier, stronger with a show of muscle, and perhaps even younger. His wrinkled gray hair reverted to a dark color as he became younger. Once strengthened, he somewhat mustered up the power to break the hardened glass rube he was in, causing the water inside to flow out.

"Ahh...Much better," said Kagemaru in a clear voice than his old, raspy tone. He took the duel disk from the machinery along with the cards, meaning he was still technically in the duel. However, before he could commence, he turned and grasped the machinery tightly, hurling the entire heavy machinery several feet away with all of his might, stunning the others.

Atticus backed away slowly. "Yeah...I'm not ever getting close to him. He'll break my neck in seconds!"

Chumley had to agree. "If he could throw a machine that heavy, I'd hate to see what else he can do!"

"I believe it was still my turn," reminded Kagemaru. "And because of Uria's Graveyard effect, I cannot attack using him or use his other abilities this turn. However, that effect doesn't apply to Hamon! Go, attack Elize directly!"

"Hamon has 4000 Attack Points! Just enough to take out Elize!" cried out Bastion. "She has no more Monsters! She can't defend herself from this attack!"

"Elize!" yelled Jaden, panicking as Hamon sent a ray of lightning heading towards Elize.

Elize, having found her conviction during the duel, showed no signs of anymore hesitation. "I activate my Trap, Defense Draw! All Battle Damage I receive turns to 0, and I get to draw 1 card!"

Although her Life Points didn't change, that didn't exactly help the situation in the field since they were still involved in a Shadow Game. The ray of lightning still struck Elize, electrifying her and sending her injured self flying and crashing onto the ground; dirtied and injured.

"Elize! Are you alright?" asked Jaden, grabbing her shoulders from behind as he helped her up.

Too injured to speak, Elize proceeded with the effect of Defense Draw by drawing 1 card. Jaden was keeping her steady when she stood up until she was no longer wobbling, though she was clutching her forehead and breathing slowly.

"Fine, you may have evaded escape for now, but next time, I'm taking one of you down! It's funny, I've forgotten how persistent teenagers can be," spoke Kagemaru. "I end my turn!"

"My...turn..." Elize was still having some trouble, especially since she was just struck by lightning, but she drew her card. "Okay...Just, let me catch my breath..."

Having an great idea popping into his mind, Jaden turned to Elize. "Elize! I have an idea! You just set one of your Charmers and then, I can distract Kagemaru and-"

"Jaden...The Sacred Beasts don't have any normal Attribute. Their Attribute is DIVINE, a really rare Attribute only meant for really powerful Monsters like them...They're so powerful that not even my Charmers have the power to possess them."

"Oh, great!" complained Syrus. "Now, what'll they do?"

"I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two cards. I play Double Summon, allowing me to Normal Summon twice this turn! I then set two Monsters before ending my turn. I'm sorry...that's all I got."

Jaden shook his head. "Don't worry! You've helped me before a few times, and now it's my turn to call us even! I'll protect you this time, Elize! My move! Sweet! I activate the Spell, Smashing Ground! Now, I get to destroy one Monster you control with the highest Defense! And it's Uria!"

The ground underneath Uria split apart, creating a huge fissure as a huge palm reached out and grabbed Uria's slender, dragon-like body, forcibly dragging him down until his entire body vanished under the ground, causing the fissue to close immediantly.

"So what? I'll just resurrect him again later!" laughed Kagemaru.

"Yeah, but weaker this time!" said Jaden, well aware of Uria's effect. "That's why I'm activating this! Hero's Rule 1: Five Freedoms! Now, I get to remove 5 cards from your Graveyard, Kagemaru! That means I remove 5 Trap cards from your Graveyard! How do you like that? Huh?"

"Excellent maneuver!" praised Bastion. "Even if Kagemaru Special Summons Uria on his next turn, he'll be forced to play the Sacred Beast in Defense Mode! That's one threat lessened at the very least!"

"I end my turn! Your move, Kagemaru!"

"With pleasure!" Kagemaru shouted. "I draw! I send 1 Trap card to the Graveyard in order to Special Summon Uria once again, in Defense Mode!"

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (1000/1000)

"I activate Fallen Paradise's effect! I get to draw two more cards since I have a Sacred Beast on my field! Now I play Pot of Greed to draw two more cards! Perfect! I couldn't have asked for a better hand myself! I now activate the Spell, Phantasmal Martyrs! By discarding two cards from my hand, I get to Special Summon three Phantasmal Martyr Tokens to my field!"

Phantasmal Martyr Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (0/0) X3

"Now I sacrifice all three Tokens to bring out the final Sacred Beast! Raviel, Lord of Phantasms!"

Perhaps the most frightening of all the Sacred Beasts, Raviel didn't waste time making his appearance, both menacing and terrifying in both power and looks. Bearing resemblance to Obelisk the Tormentor, it was no surprise that he was the most powerful out of the Sacred Beasts.

Raviel, Lord of Phantasms - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (4000/4000)

"The third Sacred Beast! How will Jaden and Elize fare against all of them?!" exclaimed Bastion.

"Hey, don't forget! Thanks to Jaden, one of the Sacred Beasts is weak!" reminded Alexis.

"Even so, both have to face up against the other two. This is one tough battle that can't be easily predicted. Anything can happen," recalled Zane.

Seeing Kagemaru revert his attention towards Elize, Elize flinched, yet tried to contain her fear by clasping her shaky palms together. "Y-yes?"

Realizing that Kagemaru was going to go after Elize, Jaden started waving his arms and yelling, "Hey! Hey! Don't attack her! It's me you want! I have the stronger Monster Attack me!"

"I know what you're trying to do, but it won't work. I won't allow a pathetic an annoying nuisance become an obstacle in my path to victory!" said Kagemaru. If he simply let Elize be, she might come back with even stronger defenses, and he can't have that. "Hamon, destroy her left Monster! Now!"

Raising his head towards the sky, Hamon let out a roar, commanding a strike of lightning to aim for his target. Right before the lightning struck, the set Monster flipped over, revealing himself to be Magical Undertaker.

Magical Undertaker - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/400)

"Magical Undertaker's Flip effect activates!" shouted Elize. "I can now target a Level 4 or lower Spellcaster-Type from my Graveyard and Special Summon it! I Special Summon Wynn in Defense Mode!"

Wynn the Wind Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"And because you summoned a Monster, Raviel's effect now activates! I can now Special Summon a Phantasm Token in Defense Mode!" said Kagemaru.

Phantasm Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (1000/1000)

Kagemaru focused on Elize's second mysterious facedown Monster. "Then, I'll have Raviel destroy your second set Monster!"

Raviel pounded his fist against the second Monster, which caused the card to flip over and reveal to be Winged Kuriboh before he was destroyed easily.

Winged Kuriboh - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV1 - (300/200)

"Wait, what? When did Elize get Winged Kuriboh in her deck?" wondered Syrus.

"Yeah, didn't that card belong to Jaden?" said Chumley. "Winged Kuriboh was always one of Jaden's favorites!"

Zane seemed a little surprised by the reveal as well. "It's possible that she must have obtained Winged Kuriboh through Exchange."

"What?"

Chazz groaned, annoyed. "Don't you idiots remember? A couple turns ago, Jaden activated Exchange and made a little trade-off with Elize. I bet you that Winged Kuriboh was the card Elize chose."

"But then, what card did Jaden choose?" wondered Alexis.

"Who knows? Knowing Red Hat Girl and her weak-ass Monsters, I'd say Jaden picked a Spell or Trap card from-ow!"

"Hey! Don't call Elize's cards weak!" Alexis scolded, yanking Chazz by the ear.

"Ow! Okay! Okay! I'm sorry, jeez!"

The moment Winged Kuriboh was destroyed, something slid out of Jaden's deck, catching Jaden's attention as he took the card into his hand. "This is...Banner's card! Huh, looks like the only thing required for it to be added to my hand was for Winged Kuriboh to be destroyed. What a coincidence!"

"Thanks, Jaden! You and your card really helped me out!" thanked Elize.

"No problem! I did say I would be returning the favor, after all!"

"I shall end my turn!" shouted Kagemaru. "But know this, the both of you! No matter how much you struggle, you can never go up against my three Sacred Beasts! As of now, they are the most powerful beings in this duel!"

"We'll see! We'll take them down, and then the Duel Spirits can be saved!" promised Elize. "My turn, draw! I play Card of Sanctity, meaning everyone has to draw until we have six cards in our hands!"

Once the three duelists drew their cards, Elize analyzed the cards in her hand along with the field and her Graveyard when a sudden thought came to her. It couldn't be...Under these certain conditions, it was very possible for Elize to summon a very _powerful_ Monster; one she's never used before, yet studied on it. All she had to do was play a few moves on her part, and then summoning that Monster could turn the tides!

Seeing Elize grinning brightly, Jaden could assume something good was in the cards she drew. "What is it, Elize? Did you find something good?"

"Yeah! Yeah!" said Elize excitedly. "I think we might win this! No, we _can_ win this! Alright, first, I play Fusion Recovery, allowing me to take back Polymerization and Aussa the Earth Charmer to my hand! This is it! Time to bring out my new Charmer Fusion Monster!"

"Whoa! You have a new Monster?! If that's the case, she might really be strong!" said Jaden.

"Actually, it's a _he._ But now, I activate Polymerization and fuse Aussa, Eria, and Hiita from my hand and then Wynn on the field! O pure benefactor, master of the four elements, awaken now to support those in need! I Fusion Summon Aeolos the Aether Charmer!"

When one wishes for a strong Monster, they usually expect the Monster to be almost god-like and strong-looking. Instead, there stood a young, fairly handsome man with light chestnut-colored hair and squinty eyes. He garbed green robes underneath his sandy colored cloak and his weapon of choice was a simple tome, but what was most interesting about him was the fact that he was sound asleep while standing up.

Aeolos the Aether Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV10 - (2900/2500)

"Pathetic weakling!" insulted Kagemaru. "No matter! Because of your summoning, I get another Token in Defense Mode!"

Phantasm Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (1000/1000) X2

"Uh...Elize?" spoke up Jaden awkwardly. "I get that he's strong and all, but uh...I kinda expected more than this."

Elize rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah...Mr. Aeolos tends to be like that, a lot. He likes taking naps because his magic always drains his energy too much. I'll wake him up. Mr. Aeolos! Please wake up!"

At the sound of his name heard, Aeolos jerked his head, yawning as he woke up, though his eyes were closed because he was naturally squinty-eyed. _**"Good morning, Elize. You know, you don't have to use formalities, right?"**_

"R-right! Sorry!"

 _ **"I would say it's a lovely day, but then there's the dark clouds above and three scary-looking Monsters in front of us...I can assume this is an emergency call, right? If not, I'm going back to sleep..."**_

"No, no, no! This is an emergency! I need your help, please!" pleaded Elize. "They're the Sacred Beasts! They're like, the same level as the Egyptian Gods! Please help us!"

 _ **"*Yawn* Of course, I was going to help. Not like I have a choice anyways since you worked hard to summon me. Good job, by the way! Besides, if I didn't help, everyone would have my head for not helping you, and that would disturb my lovely naps."**_

"When this is all done, you can nap as much as you want! Er...At least until Lyna wakes you up again."

"So, what kind of powers does this guy have, Elize?" Jaden asked.

"Let's just say his true powers lie within his abilities," replied Elize. "You'll see. Back to the duel! I activate one of Aeolos' special abilities! By removing from play a WATER Attribute Monster from my Graveyard, Aeolos can target 1 card on your field and send it to the bottom of your deck! I remove Eria from my Graveyard and choose Hamon!"

Stretching his limbs for a bit, Aeolos then allowed his tome to scramble through the pages until it hit the middle part of the spellbook. Raising his arm, Aeolos concentrated on his magic as a blue magic circle formed underneath his feet. Bringing his arm down, a torrential barrage of waves rained down on Hamon, drowning him in the countless amounts of water before Hamon faded away; the card sliding into the bottom of Kagemaru's deck.

"...Remember me never to mess with that kind of Monster," spoke Chazz, breaking the silence.

Jaden, however, was more than amused. "Whooo! I can't believe it! You took down a Sacred Beast! I mean, you didn't exactly destroy it, but you did make it vanish from the field! Yeah!"

"No! How dare you! You and your Monster will pay!" swore Kagemaru.

"Not yet! Aeolos, please attack one of his Tokens!" commanded Elize.

 _ **"Okay."**_ Simply by raising his hand, a very beam filled with electricity fell upon one of the weak Phantasm Tokens, startling everyone from such huge masses of power. The poor targeted Phantasm Token didn't even stand a chance as he was annihilated from the beam.

"...Aeolos, I know I told you to destroy it, but that was a bit overkill!"

Aeolos shrugged his shoulders. **_"Meh. Too tired to care."_**

"...You know, if Kagemaru had put that Token in Attack Mode, this match would have been over," Bastion spoke up.

"I guess I'll end my turn," said Elize, a little unsure since she was still startled by Aeolos' power.

"What?" complained Jaden. "Come on! Why don't you use another ability Aeolos has? You said he has lots!"

"Not that many, and I can't even if I wanted to. I can only use one of his abilities per turn. But, that means I can use another one of his abilities during your turn, Jaden!"

"Really?! Sweet! Then, do it now!" encouraged Jaden, drawing his card which insinuated the start of his turn.

Elize shook her head. "Not yet! Tell me before your turn is over, and I might do something!"

"Done!" Jaden agreed before looking at Banner's card, knowing which card he wanted to choose. "My first wish...will be to summon Burstinatrix in Defense Mode!"

Burstinatrix - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/800)

 **Jaden - 1400 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 1300 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Because you summoned a Monster, I'm allowed another Phantasm Token! In Defense Mode!" reminded Kagemaru.

Phantasm Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (1000/1000) X2

"Attack, Tempest! Destroy Uria!" ordered Jaden.

Tempest summoned forth winds that gathered and swirled around his gauntlet before he began charging a blast that utterly destroyed Uria.

"Hmm..I don't know what to do about Raviel, so I guess I'll have to trust Elize to take care of that guy!" muttered Jaden. "Hey, Elize! I'm about to end my turn!"

Elize nodded and shouted, "I activate one of Aeolos' abilities! I remove from play a FIRE Attribute Monster from my Graveyard to inflict damage equal to that Monster's Attack Points to you, Kagemaru! I remove Hiita from play and inflict 500 Points of Damage!"

Aeolos flipped the pages of his tome while keeping his arm extended. Upon locating the spell he was searching for, he yawned out of exhaustion before summoning forth a red magic circle beneath Kagemaru's feet. Small flames flickered around the circle before a waterfall of flames shot upwards, combusting all at once as the painful screams of Kagemaru were heard before the fire spell passed. Kagemaru was still alive, and thankfully, his entire body wasn't charred, but injured badly.

 **Jaden - 1400 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 800 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"Aeolos! I think you went too far! I wanted to inflict damage, but not enough to burn him to death!" cried out Elize.

Aeolos uncaringly yawned. _**"But he deserved it, didn't he? He practically set all of this Shadow Game and Spirit Keys thing up just for the dumb world domination thing."**_

"Whoa! That was so cool!" spoke Jaden. "But...why didn't you use the water effect, Elize?"

"I can't! It requires for me to remove a WATER Attribute Monster from my Graveyard, and I have none left!" said Elize.

"Oh. Well, still good job on lowering his Life Points! I end my turn, Kagemaru!"

Kagemaru panted as he tried to stand up properly while drawing his card. "You'll pay...I activate the effect of Fallen Paradise and draw two cards! Then, I revive Uria by sending a Trap card from my hand to the Graveyard!"

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (2000/2000)

"Now, I activate the Spell, Lightning Vortex! All I have to do is discard a card, and all of your Monsters are destroyed! And I choose your side, Elize! Say goodbye to your Monster!" laughed Kagemaru as lightning bolts started making their way towards the tired Aeolos.

"I'll activate Aeolos' third effect!" yelled Elize, making a counter. "By removing from play a WIND Attribute Monster, I can target a Monster on my field, and that Monster cannot be destroyed or affected by card effects this turn! I choose Aeolos himself after removing Wynn from my Graveyard!"

Aeolos scrambled through the pages through his nimble fingers before widening his mouth as he raised his arm, concentrating. Strong gales flew from all directions as they swirled around Aeolos, easily blocking off the lightning bolts that were meant for Aeolos.

"However, this means you cannot use anymore of your Monster's effects this turn!" reminded Kagemaru. "And because the card I discarded was a Trap card, Uria receives an extra 1000 Attack and Defense Points!"

Uria, Lord of Searing Flames - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (3000/3000)

"And now I activate Raviel's effect! By tributing two Monsters, he gains Attack Points equal to the combined Attack Points of those two Monsters until the end of this turn! I sacrifice my two Tokens so Raviel can absorb their power!"

Raviel, Lord of Phantasms - (DIVINE/Divine-Beast) - LV10 - (6000/4000)

"Attack, Raviel! First, destroy her Aeolos!"

Elize frantically checked her hand to make sure if she had anything to protect her Monster. Nothing. "I'm sorry, Aeolos! I don't have anything that can protect you!"

Aeolos merely shrugged it off with a wave of his hand. _**"It's fine...I was looking forward for another nap anyways. But, hey. The battling wasn't so bad, either."**_

Thrown back by the sudden punch delivered by Raviel's fist, Aeolos coughed out saliva as he was sent flying from such sheer force. While he may be proficient in magic, his physical status wasn't that great, just like most mages like him.

 **Jaden - 1400 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 800 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

"I end my turn!" said Kagemaru as Elize fell to her knees, exhausted.

"You okay?" called out Jaden, receiving a nod from the Charmer duelist. "Okay, good!"

"My turn..." sighed Elize. "I set a Monster...and end my turn..."

"Because you summoned a Monster, I'm allowed another Token!" Kagemaru said.

Phantasm Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (1000/1000)

"Just rest, okay Elize?" Jaden spoke before going back to the duel. "My move!" Having thought over a new strategy, Jaden was sure that it was going to work as he stared at Banner's card. "I activate my second wish! De-Fusion! I defuse Tempest to bring back Bubbleman, Avian, and Sparkman!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/1000)

Elemental Hero Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)

 **Jaden - 700 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 800 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

"And thanks to that, I get three more! Thanks for the Tokens, Jaden!" called Kagemaru, satisfied.

Phantasm Token - (DARK/Fiend) - LV1 - (1000/1000) X4

"I activate Monster Reincarnation! Now, by discarding a card from my hand, I get back a Monster! I take back Clayman!" announced Jaden before glancing at Banner's card. 'My third and last wish...I play Polymerization! I fuse Avian, Bubbleman, Burstinatrix, and then Clayman to bring together Elemental Hero Electrum!"

 **Jaden - 350 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 800 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

The elemental combination of all four heroes was enough to formulate a brand new hero; the same one Jaden had called upon to finish off Banner and would now triumph in his and Elize's victory against Kagemaru.

Elemental Hero Electrum - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV10 - (2900/2600)

"When he's Fusion Summoned, all the removed from play cards has to return to deck and be shuffled!" shouted Jaden. "That means all of us!"

The cards that was removed during the duel lit up and flew up before returning to their respective owner's decks, which then shuffled automatically for them.

Jaden looked at Banner's card one more time before thinking, _'Alright, the third card's covenant's been used. Time to see if I played my cards right!'_ "Alright, next I play Sabatiel - The Philosopher's Stone! And it says here that when it's equipped onto Electrum, his Attack Points are multiplied by the number of Monsters you have out on your field! That would be five!"

Elemental Hero Electrum - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV10 - (14500/2600)

"That's more than enough to defeat a Sacred Beast!" gasped Elize, shocked just like everyone else.

"Now go, Hero Electrum!" commanded Jaden. "Seal his fate!"

Charging towards Raviel with a two-bladed weapon along with a huge amount of strength inside of him, Electrum poured all of his power into his attack as he slashed at Raviel, causing a massive explosion afterwards that marked the end of Kagemaru's reign.

 **Jaden - 350 LP**

 **Kagemaru - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden and Elize**

"Impossible!" hollered Kagemaru, falling to his knees. "The Sacred Beasts can't be defeated! NOOOOOO!"

Fallen Paradise vanished, leaving nothing but an empty field as the dark clouds faded away, leaving room for the blue skies and the sun to symbolize the victory both Jaden and Elize worked so hard in achieving peace.

Jaden looked up and saw a large amount of energy fading away from Kagemaru's muscular body. The energy pouring out of him spread out towards the rest of the world, returning back to their original sources, thus restoring the Spirit World along with Duel Monsters back to normal.

Noticing Banner's card glowing in his hands, Jaden muttered, "What a card!" After all, it proved very helpful in the duel and helped saved the world. However, once the entire usage of the card was over, it vanished, and Jaden swore he could hear Banner's laughter. "I won't forget you...Professor Banner."

Getting back up after having some rest, Elize was breathing in and out, completely fatigued from the duel when she noticed Kagemaru groaning in pain. "Hey...Uh...Jaden? Look!"

Noticing Kagemaru, both of them rushed up to him, who had turned back into his elderly self once the last of the Sacred Beasts' power vanished from his body, much to everyone's surprise.

"It's true, I'm an old man..." he croaked, ashamed as he glanced up pitifully at the two duelists who defeated them. "What I simply want, every old man wants, to be young again...! And harnessing the power of those Sacred Beasts...That was the only way I could do it."

"Yeah, and to take over the world!" pointed out Jaden, walking closer towards the old man.

Grasping Jaden's arms, Kagemaru pleaded, "Can't you forgive a decrypted old soul?"

"I don't...really mind forgiving you," said Elize, scratching her cheek. "Besides, my big sis always says to respect the elderly."

"Yeah, I guess so," agreed Jaden. "But don't you see, old timer? Stealing power from something or someone isn't the way to feel alive again! You've got to find the way for yourself!"

"I can't! It's too late for that!" cried out Kagemaru.

"It's never too late! Come on! Try and get up! Just go for it! Give it your all!"

Holding onto Jaden for a little support, Kagemaru struggled to stand up. Once he did, he was seen wobbling because his physical body was old and not used to a lot of physical activity, nearly prompting Jaden and Elize to help him until Kagemaru was perfectly fine on his own two feet.

"Hey, look! I'm standing!" Kagemaru gasped happily. "It must have been our duel! Yes, that's it! All the excitement brought me back to my stead! Thank you!"

"Haha! Sure!" cheered Jaden, hugging Kagemaru tightly. Well, a bit too tightly since it can be indicated from the sickening sounds that Jaden had accidentally broken a few of his bones.

"Aaah! Jaden!"

"Huh? Oh no! Old timer, are you okay?!"

About a while later, a helicopter came to pick up Kagemaru and transport him and his bed towards a hospital, where he would get more medical treatment there, especially from Jaden breaking his bones by accident.

"I guess bear hugs and old people don't go so well together," joked Jaden.

"Hey, you may have bruised a few of his ribs, but I bet his heart is all healed up!" encouraged Atticus.

"Hmph! Whatever!" scoffed Chazz. "He's lucky that's all he got! After all that he's put us through?"

"C-Come on, Chazz! It's over, so I don't think he'll be stealing the card again," said Elize. "Forgive and forget, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"Later, Kagemaru!" called out Jaden, waving goodbye to the sleeping Kagemaru as the helicopter disappeared from view.

"Get well soon! ...I guess?" spoke Syrus, a little unsure.

Looking at the three Sacred Beast cards in his hands, Sheppard could finally relax as they were brought back safely. "It's over," he mumbled, returning the cards back to their original position in the altar before the altar disappeared back underground. "And it's going to stay over! From now on, the Sacred Beasts will be under my guard and mine alone!"

"Sure is going to be quiet around here now, huh?" Syrus said as the seven pillars returned back underground.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," Crowler said, suspiciously happy for some reason. "You see, next week are the Duel Academy Promotion Exams."

"Promotion Exams?!" gasped Jaden. "Nooooooooooo!"

Everyone else laughed out of amusement as Elize tried to calm down Jaden, promising to help him study afterwards.

* * *

 **Skit: Elemental Team**

"I don't get it! Why aren't I out there, fighting Kagemaru?!" scowled Chazz, watching Elize and Jaden duel against Kagemaru as they attempted to block his attacks. "I don't-Well, I kinda do mind if I have to team up with Jaden, but damnit! I want to be out there!"

"Stop acting so childish and think more carefully on the situation," scolded Zane. "Kagemaru may not have realized it, but he made a fatal mistake in picking the two to actually duel against him."

"Why's that, Zane?" asked Syrus curiously.

"Mainly because of Jaden and Elize's decks and their respective dueling styles, but also because of their strong friendship and trust in each other. You see, both of their decks are similar to each other because they have elemental traits and themes in them along with Fusion Summoning. Jaden usually focuses on offensive strategies and sometimes even luck, but he's not completely vulnerable to Traps and Spells. On the other hand, Elize has defensive strategies and tries to wipe out her opponent's field first using card effects before taking the offensive, but she takes too long. With the two of them working together, they might be able to cover their weak points and beat Kagemaru."

"Still, I should partner up with Red Hat Girl, then! I mean, I did work together with her before!" Chazz argued.

"You just want to fight against Kagemaru!" Syrus shouted.

"That was only because your deck was restricted to Monsters with only 500 or less Monsters," reminded Zane. "It was thanks to Elize's help in that duel that you won. But that's not the case. Knowing her, she would continue protecting you while you foolishly throw out attacks without thinking. Not much of a partnership, if you ask me. Besides, wasn't your deck filled with the so-called love cards? I doubt they'll work on Kagemaru."

"Grrr...!"

"For now, we should just hope Elize and Jaden win," said Alexis, continuing to watch the duel. "And I have a feeling they might."

* * *

 **Skit: Future Love**

"Alexis, I am so, so sorry!" apologized Elize, bowing her head to Alexis.

"Huh? Why are you apologizing?" asked Alexis.

"Well...that love duel with you and Chazz...I kinda had a part in it! I'm sorry! I didn't know he was trying to force you to love him! He and Atticus yesterday, they asked for some of my cards so they could use it in the duel today! I'm sorry!"

Alexis smiled and patted the girl's head. "Hey, it's okay. None of this is your fault. If anything, it's just my idiotic brother and Chazz's."

"Thank you, Alexis...But I still feel bad..."

"Hmm..." Hoping to change the conversation, Alexis asked, "Hey, Elize? Is there any boy you have a crush on? Anyone you love?"

"L-Love?!" exclaimed Elize, turning red. "No! Really, I don't!"

"Then, what do you think about Syrus?"

"Him? Oh, he tried to confess to me on Valentine's Day, but I turned him down. I just found him to be a good friend, that's all!"

"Okay, then what about Chazz?" asked Alexis. "No, really, if you like Chazz, you can have him."

Elize shook her head. "Nope! He's really nice and all, when he's not mean at least...But, I don't see him that way! But his Ojama brothers are really nice to talk to!"

"Ojama? Okay, what do you think about Bastion, then?"

"Oh, well I found out he's a lolicon! That means he likes young girls!" spoke Elize. "I asked him about it, and he...oh...He kinda told me to keep it a secret. He told me he had no particular romantic interest in me, though, and I don't have any interest in him, so we're just friends. Please don't tell anyone about his secret."

"My lips are sealed," promised Alexis. "And what do you think about Jaden?"

"A really good friend."

"Then...Zane? I mean, he is older than you but-"

"Hmm? I thought he was your boyfriend, Alexis."

"What?! What makes you think that?"

"Well, I often see you two hanging around at the lighthouse and plenty of people see you too and lots of rumors have been spreading, so-"

"Oh, don't worry. We're not like that at all! He's just been comforting me ever since Atticus has been missing."

"Oh! I see!"

* * *

 **Whew! Finished after a long while! Before I go, here is the information for the new Charmer!**

 **Aeolos the Aether Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Fusion) -LV10 - (2900/2500)**

 **Any "Eria" card + Any "Aussa" card + Any "Hiita" card + Any "Wynn" card**

 **This card cannot be Special Summoned except for Fusion Summon from the above Fusion-Materials. This card is also treated as a FIRE, WATER, EARTH, and WIND Attribute. Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can select only one of the effects below.**

 ***By removing from play a FIRE Attribute Monster from your Graveyard, you can inflict damage equal to the removed from play Monster's Attack Points to your opponent.**

 ***By removing from play a WATER Attribute Monster from your Graveyard, you can target 1 card on the opponent's side of the field and place it back on the bottom of the opponent's deck.**

 ***By removing from play a WIND Attribute Monster from your Graveyard, you can target 1 card on your field, it is not destroyed or affected by any card effects.**

 ***By removing from play a EARTH Attribute Monster from your Graveyard, you can decrease the Attack and Defense Points of 1 Monster your opponent controls by the Attack Points of your removed from play EARTH Attribute Monster.**

 **Pretty neat Monster, huh?**


	27. Magna Chum Laude

**Before the whole duel with Jaden and Zane, there are still some more things to do!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs.**

* * *

 _ **"Whatcha drawing there, Elly?"**_ asked Hiita, wrapping an arm around her mistress' shoulders as Elize was currently drawing something for an assignment for class.

"Hmm? Professor Sartyr gave us an assigment to try and make our own card design!" answered Elize.

Tapping her on the shoulder, Jaden presented Elize his own drawing, which appeared to be a robotic hero with lightning bolts all around him. "Hey, Elize! Check this out! It's Sparkman!"

"Um...It's really cool, but is this another version of him?" wondered Elize curiously.

Taking a good look at his drawing, Jaden took out his own Sparkman card and compared the two differences. "Huh...Now I kinda see the difference." He then grinned. "But this means I can make this into Sparkman's long-lost brother or something! I'll call him Electroman!"

"I'm sure Sparkman wouldn't mind."

Putting down his own drawing, Jaden glanced over to check out Elize's own masterpiece. "Awww! That's a pretty cute Monster, Elize! Looks just like you, too!"

Elize's drawing consisted of a single female Monster who resembled greatly towards one of the Charmer girls because the Charmers always wore cloaks and staffs. The only different is that this girl had long dark brown hair like Elize and beared green eyes just as she did.

"T-thank you, Jaden," thanked Elize. "But, I'm not that good at drawing. Yours is better."

"Are you kidding? Mine's the best at being the coolest, that's for sure! But yours is the best at being cute! Elize, I'm gonna name that Monster for you! I declare it being named Elize the Evergrowing Charmer!"

"Uh...You're not really supposed to give other drawings names, but thanks for the opinion, anyways!"

Jaden nodded, turning his head around. "So, what'd you draw, Chumster?"

"Hmm?" Reacting to his nickname, Chumley put down his paintbrush and allowed his three friends to see his drawing. His drawing was actually more of a painting using watercolors, and warm colors, but the entire background of a desert along with the main focus being a huge canyon rock was very impressive.

"Wow! That's great!" exclaimed Syrus, amazed

"Yeah!...What is it?" asked Jaden.

"Huh?! You mean you've never heard of Ayer's Rock?!"

"Uh...No?"

Elize explained, "It's an infamous rocky landmark in Australia, Jaden. It's vastly popular."

Nodding, Chumley glanced at his picture and replied, "You see, a long time ago, I went camping with my Dad in Australia!"

Eventually, other students began to notice Chumley's magnificent work of art, praising it furthermore with compliments that soon spread across the entire room. Chumley seemed very happy to be the center of attention as he knows he'll get a good grade for his artwork.

 **"Ahem! Attention! Will Chumley Huffington please report to Chancellor Sheppard?"** announced Crowler; his entire face being shown on the classroom monitor. Professor Sartyr nodded for Chumley to leave, granting him permission to do so.

Worried, Chumley got up and left, muttering, "Uh-oh..."

Looking at Jaden and Elize, Syrus wondered, "Is he...in trouble?"

Jaden shrugged his shoulders. "Beat me."

Checking the clock on the wall, Elize suggested, "How about we check up on Chumley after class? After all, it's the last one for today."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" agreed Jaden. "Okay! After class, then!"

About several minutes later, as soon as the bell rang for dismissal, the trio hurried towards Chancellor Sheppard's office, awaiting for Chumley since he seemed to be in an important meeting with Sheppard, and they couldn't interfere.

At last, the doors slid opened, revealing Chumley. Walking up to him, the three of them eagerly greeted their friend. "What happened?" asked Jaden before noticing a card in Chumley's hand. "Hey! They made one of your cards!"

About a couple weeks ago, it was announced that Indutrial Illusions was holding a card creation contest, where people can submit their own art, and if Pegasus, the preisdent of Industrial Illusions, found that the chosen art was great, the winner would have their own art made into an official Duel Monsters card.

"Chumley! Aw man, don't you know how awesome this is?!" gasped Syrus, happy for his friend.

"It's called...Ayers Rock Sunrise," said Elize, reading the card. "I bet this card will go great with your deck, Chumley!"

Chumley couldn't find it in him to talk to his friends at the moment. "But I...Uh..."

"But what, Chum? Come on! You should be ecstatic!" spoke Jaden happily. "I mean, this is huge!"

Syrus nodded. "Sure is! Congrats!"

"...I guess."

Although everyone was happy for Chumley, Elize couldn't quite put her finger in what was wrong with Chumley. Instead of being excited, he seemed more...down than usual.

* * *

 _Later..._

 _ **"Hey, El?"**_

"Yes, Eria?"

 _ **"It's good that you're repairing another object and cleaning up Banner's room, but why bother cleaning his room when he's already dead? Nobody's gonna use it!"**_

 _ **"E-Eria! That's rude of you to say that!"**_

 _ **"But, you have to admit, it's the truth, Wynn!"**_

Eria and Wynn, two of Elize's Duel Spirits, were currently watching their master fixing Banner's microwave after she had finished vacumming the floor for Banner's room. Deciding it was her duty, Elize began a daily routine of cleaning Banner's room at least once or twice a week in a small memory for him. Right now, seeing as his microwave was old and a little broken, Elize's interest for tinkering got the better of her as she was sitting near the table, trying to fix it.

"It's alright, really!" assured Elize, who stopped her activity for a moment. "I enjoy fixing things like this! It'll help me get better! Plus, it's for Professor Banner, after all! If nobody's going to clean his room, I guess I'll do it."

Pharaoh, who was laying around the room lazily, yawned for a brief moment, causing Banner's orb to fly out, having heard Elize's words. _**"*sniff* Elize...You definitely are one of my fa-"**_

Of course, Pharaoh chose that moment to close his mouth, trapping Banner inside of him once again.

Seeing Des Koala entering the room easily due to him being a Duel Spirit, Eria tapped Elize on the shoulder. _**"Hey, Elize? There's that koala Duel Spirit that's always hanging out with that Chumley friend of yours."**_

"Hmm?" Noticing Des Koala approaching, Elize walked up to him and kneeled down. "Des Koala? What's wrong?"

Des Koala, who couldn't exactly speak human language, simply tugged on Elize's pants, urging her to come with him. _**"I think Des Koala wants to show you something,"**_ spoke Wynn, receiving a nod from Des Koala.

Opening the door out, Elize then followed after Des Koala, motioning her to hide behind a pillar. Confused, Elize did as she was told and spotted Chumley sitting on the stairs with his shoulders slumped and a sad expression on his face.

"Oh man...what am I gonna do? If I don't beat Crowler, I'll get expelled...not even all the grilled cheese in the world can make me happy now," muttered Chumley.

"...Expelled?" wondered Elize out loud, stepping out from the pillar. "Chumley, what are you talking about?"

Startled, Chumley looked up. "Elize! ...I guess you heard everything, huh?"

"Not everything. Just something about you and Dr. Crowler and being expelled. Did something happen?"

Chumley sighed and nodded. Might as well tell her now since she knows that much. "Yeah...It's some really important duel tommorow as part of my Promotion Exam. If I don't beat Crowler, I'll get expelled!"

"Isn't that a bit harsh for a punishment?" wondered Elize, surprised as she sat down on the stairs next to him.

Chumley shook his head. "You may not know this, but I was kept on the same year twice, so this is my third time this year. If I fail, I really will be kicked out and I won't be able to accomplish my dream!"

"Your...dream?"

"Yeah. Earlier today, when I went to Chancellor Sheppard's office, he gave me that new card you saw earlier. Apparently, I won the Industrial Illusions card contest and got this officially published, and Pegasus himself was so impressed, he wanted me to work for him."

"Oh!" gasped Elize. "Pegasus is the creator of Duel Monsters, right? That's a really huge opportunity!"

Chumley nodded. "Yeah, but I can only go if the school recommends it. The Chancellor seemed okay with it, but Crowler? He was a big jerk about it and wants me to prove myself. If I can win, he'll allow me to go, but it's impossible! We all know Crowler's too tough to beat!"

"Um...I heard Jaden beat him, though."

"Yeah, but he's on an entirely different level than me! It's impossible!"

Patting him on the back, Elize assured him, "I know you can do it, Chumley! You'll be fine! Your deck is with you, as well."

"...I'm still not sure."

Getting an idea, Elize clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, bowing her head a little. "Oh, gracious Duel Spirits, please help out Chumley and lead him to the path of victory tommorow..."

"W-What are you doing?" wondered Chumley, confused.

Opening her eyes, Elize answered, "I'm praying for your success! Miss Doriado told me if I did something like this, then it's sure to raise their success for victory! So, think of it like a good luck charm!"

Although he was still concerned about his chances in the duel tommorow, Chumley couldn't help but be happy that even Elize was praying for his luck. "Thanks...Sorry, I still need to think about this. Could you leave me alone for a while?"

Elize nodded, turning around to reach for her first destination into helping Chumley out, even if a little.

* * *

 _Later, near the card shop..._

"So basically, you want us to come tommorow to cheer Chumley on during his duel?" questioned Bastion.

Elize managed to luckily find Alexis, Bastion, and Chazz gathered together near the card shop, trying to decide which card packs to buy for their decks. After finding them, she explained Chumley's situation, requesting for them to come and see his duel so that they could cheer him on.

"Well, I don't mind coming by," agreed Alexis.

"I'll also join in cheering on a friend," said Bastion.

"I'm out," scoffed Chazz, turning the other way and leaving.

"B-But, Chazz! This is Chumley's Promotion Exam duel! If he fails, then it really is going to be trouble for him!" exclaimed Elize. "At least cheer him on!"

"Yeah, not interested. I'm out." With that, he turned and left the shop, intending on returning to his dorm.

"But...Chumley..."

Placing a hand on Elize's shoulder, Alexis assured her, "Don't worry, Elize! I'll make sure that Chazz comes tommorow!"

"Yes, that guy needs to learn some manners!" Scolded Bastion.

Elize nodded, still feeling down. "Y-yeah..." _'Will he,though?'_

 ** _"Elly! Hey, Elly!"_** called out Osaka Yellow, trying to get her attention as Bastion and Alexis attempted to track down Chazz. _**"It's me, your trusty friend, Ojama Yellow!"**_

Picking him up gently with one hand and placing him on her shoulder, Elize asked, "Yes, Ojama Yellow? What is it?"

 _ **"Me and my brothers heard what happened and we think that Boss has been acting like a jerk lately, so we decided to help you in persuading him to come to the duel tomorrow! We have a plan that you...probably won't like."**_

"Um...What kind of plan?"

* * *

 _The next morning..._

 **Dear Chazz,**

 **I have stolen your deck because you were being a jerk to Chumley and didn't want to come to the duel tomorrow. Go to the duel for Chumley's sake or I'll burn the deck and paint your room pink.**

"JADEN!"

* * *

 _Later, at the Duel Arena..._

Everyone seated properly at the sidelines, awaiting for Chumley's duel to begin as both the duelist himself and Crowley were standing on the platform, having already shuffled their own decks so that there would be no cheating.

Being close friends with Chumley, Jaden, Syrus, and Elize were present along with Alexis and Bastion. Even an annoyed-looking Chazz was there but it didn't appear as though he came out of his own free will.

"You can do it, Chumley!" cheered Jaden. "We're with you!"

Turning to Jaden with an uneased expression on his face, Syrus said, "Uh...Jaden? Aren't you worried for Chumley?"

Jaden shook his head. "No way! All last night, we stayed up and trained for this match!"

"I guess that would increase Chumley's chances of winning," commented Elize, a little relieved.

"Hey, we're all rooting for you, Chumley!" called out Alexis.

Flinching a bit and getting back to reality, Chazz stammered, "W-we are? I-I mean, we so totally are!"

"Don't be nervous!" assured Crowler. "This duel will simply affect... _the rest of your life._ "

Chumley wasn't sure whether he was making a cruel joke or stating the truth, but Chumley didn't want to entertain him. "Uh...okay?"

Noticing how stiff his opponent is, Crowler questioned, "Well? Are you waiting for an invitation?"

Activating his duel disk, Chumley faced Crowler with a determined look. "I've got one right here!"

"LET'S DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Chumley - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Crowler - 4000 LP**

"Here we go, Chumley," muttered Chumley to himself as he drew his first card. "I think that first, I'm gonna set one Monster and end my turn!"

Not impressed, Crowley drew his card. "That move was absolutely...let's see...what's the word? ...Yes, lame! I play the Soell, Magnet Circle LV2!"

Recognizing the effects of the Spell card, Bastion gasped while Chazz mumbled, "Oh man, Chumley is in for it now."

Continuing, Crowler said, "Thanks to Magnet Circle LV2, I get to Special Summon a LV2 or lower Machine-Type Monster from my hand! I'll Special Summon 1 Ancient Gear! And it's special effect lets me Special Summon another one! Not too shabby, eh?"

Ancient Gear - (EARTH/Machine) - (100/?) X2

"Is that bad?" asked Syrus nervously.

Jaden nodded. "Big time."

"Since he Special Summoned those two, that means he can tribute them for an even stronger Monster!" exclaimed Elize.

"Now I sacrifice my two Ancient Gears to Tribute Summon Ancient Gear Golem!" Cried out Crowler.

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - LV8 - (3000/3000)

Startled, Chumley gasped at the huge size of Ancient Gear Golem and the huge Attack Points he had. How was he going to beat something like that? He can't; at least, not right now.

"Ancient Gear Golem, attack!" shouted Crowler. "Mechanized Meele!"

Right before Ancient Gear Golem's fist came into contact with Chumley's set Monster, it flipped over to reveal the Monster known as Des Koala.

Des Koala - (DARK/Beast) - LV3 - (1100/800)

"You never did study!" Yelled Crowler. "If my Ancient Gear Golem has more Attack Points than your Monster's Defense Points, then the extra damage goes to you!"

 **Chumley - 2800 LP**

 **Crowler - 4000 LP**

"Grrr! That's it! You're gonna get it now!" shouted Chumley, agitated.

Like his master, although he was heavily injured, mustered up the last of his strength to strike back after catching Ancient Gear Golem's fist with his own paws.

"Des Koala's Flip effect! For every card in your hand, Koala hits you for 400 Points each!"

 **Chumley - 2800 LP**

 **Crowler - 3200 LP**

"When did Chumley learn how to duel like that?" wondered Syrus, impressed.

"Is it a result from you guys training last night?" asked Elize.

Jaden nodded. "I told you guys not to worry! This is just the kind of thing we were talking about! When he dueled his Dad, Chumley blanked out on the Flip effect, but thanks to last night, Chumley's now a lean, mean, dueling machine! Well, maybe not lean!"

Because it was his turn, Chumley drew his card. "I summon Eucalyptus Mole in Defense Mode!"

Eucalyptus Mole - (EARTH/Plant) - LV3 - (300/1300)

"And next, I'll lay down a facedown and end my turn!"

"Come now, Chumley! That's your move?" questioned Crowler, drawing his card. "Ancient Gear Golem, attack Eucalyptus Mole! Mechanized Meele!"

Ancient Gear Golem's fist collided with Eucaluptus Mole, destroying him within a second.

"And, of course, all extra damage goes to you!"

 **Chumley - 1100 LP**

 **Crowler - 3200 LP**

"Let's just wait one minute, okay?" Chumley said. "If you destroy Eucalyptus Mole, I can to Special Summon a Koala Monster from my deck! And guess who wants to say hi? My little friend, Big Koala!"

Big Koala - (EARTH/Beast) - LV7 - (2700/2000)

"Hmph! More like a big waste!" insulted Crowler. "I, on the other hand, will be summoning Ancient Gear Soldier in Defense Mode before ending my turn!"

Ancient Gear Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV4 - (1300/1300)

"Whatever!" scoffed Chumley, drawing his card. "Check this! I'm gonna play the Spell, Wild Nature's Release! Because of this card, one Beast-Type or Beast-Warrior-Type Monster gains Attack Points equal to his Defense Points! And all of a sudden, Big Koala grows even stronger!"

Big Koala - (EARTH/Beast) - LV7 - (4700/2000)

"When did Chumley get so good?" Alexis wondered, amazed.

"From watching me!" bragged Syrus.

Jaden rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's it!"

"Okay, Big Koala! Take down that pile of rusty bolts!" commanded Chumley. "Take Down From Down Under!"

Rushing at a great pace of speed, Big Koala then leapt forward, crashing into Ancient Gear Golem before the mechanical robot smashed into little bits of himself.

 **Chumley - 1100 LP**

 **Crowler - 1500 LP**

 _'Nothing I can't come back from!'_ thought Crowler.

"Alright! Now, check out my facedown Trap!" declared Chumley. "This is my totally awesome Beast Soul Swap! It lets me return a Beast-Type on my field to my hand and lets me Special Summon another Beast-Type with the same Level from my hand! I guess I'll call another Big Koala!"

Big Koala - (EARTH/Beast) - LV7 - (2700/2000)

"Uh...I'm lost! Why did he trade out for another?" Syrus asked, looking around amongst his group of friends. "Anyone? Well?"

"Hehe...I thought Chumley was dumb," chuckled Chazz.

"Wild Nature's Release is risky," explained Bastion. "The card destroys your Monster at the End Phase at which you used it on a Beast-Type."

"Yeah, unless you swap out your Monster just like Chumley did!" added Alexis. "Nice move, huh?"

"Uh...yeah!" said Syrus, understanding a little bit more better.

"You know, I think Chumley slept through that class!" teased Jaden.

Syrus was not amused. "And look who's talking!"

"Haha!" Looking back at the duel, Jaden said, "Actually, I don't think I call it sleeping in class. It's more like scheduled study eye break!"

"Give me a break, Jaden!" said Alexis, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Noticing something a little abnormal, it took a moment for Elize to realize the new advantage Chumley had. "Hey, wait...he activated the Trap card during the Battle Phase, right? If he Special Summoned another Big Koala, doesn't that mean he gets an extra attack? I mean, it's weaker than before, but..."

Bastion noticed her point as well. "You're right! And Ancient Gear Soldier's the only other Monster left on the field! And its defense isn't that strong! Chumley can take it out!"

"Big Koala, take out that Gear Soldier!" yelled Chumley.

Although weaker than the last, Big Koala rushed ahead and slammed on top of Ancient Gear Soldier, flattening him like a pancake and causing Crowler to shriek from the explosion.

Still a little fear-stricken, Crowler managed to keep his calm composure. _'It's all for naught!'_

"I'll be laying down one facedown before ending my turn!" decided Chumley.

 _'The tutorial is over!'_ thought Crowler with his fist clenched. _'It's time to give Chumley a real schooling!'_ "Let's see how you handle this! Okay, Chumley! I activate my Pot of Greed, which of course, allows me to draw two more cards! I'll play the Spell, Ancient Gear Factory!"

Much to everyone's shock, a large machinery fitting for a factory with different types of gears and small machines attached to the machinery appeared, crumbling out from behind the confident-looking Crowler.

"The Ancient Gear Factory! Beautiful, isn't it? With it, I can summon any Ancient Gear Monster I wish so long as I meet the conditions! And soon, I'll be able to summon the Ancient Gear Golem from my hand!"

"Not again!" groaned Jaden, recalling the times he had difficulty with a powerful Monster like that.

"What's he trying to pull?" wondered Alexis. "What about the whole sacrifices? As in, Golem kinda needs one?"

"Not quite!" spoke Sheppard, who had been sitting among Jaden's circle of friends and watching the duel with them. It was only thanks to him speaking up that they noticed him for the first time.

"Chancellor Sheppard! Are you here to watch Chumley's duel?" asked Elize.

Sheppard nodded. "Though, it doesn't look too good for Chumley!"

"He's right! I don't need to sacrifice any Monsters on my field!" commented Crowler. "All you need to do is look into my Graveyard! If it holds Ancient Gear Monsters whose Levels are twice that of my Golem's, they become the sacrifices, even though they're already destroyed!"

As he was explaining the effects of the special Ancient Gear Factory, the machinery itself started functioning by dropping gears and other mechanical supplies into the furnace, supplying the filling the machinery as the stars on one of its systems lit up and smoke popped out from the pipes.

"So, let's all welcome back Ancient Gear Golem!" declared Crowler, making room for the machinery as the entrance for the factory machiney widened enough for Ancient Gear Golem to be reborn and step into the field.

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - LV8 - (3000/3000)

"What a move!" applauded Jaden. "I mean...you know, I guess!"

Syrus frowned. "Hey! Who's side are you on?"

"Dear, Chumley! How can I recommend you?" questioned Crowler, testing Chumley's own patience and willpower. "I mean, come now! You can't even win one easy duel! Ancient Gear Golem! Attack Big Koala! Mechanized Meele!"

It barely took any effort from Ancient Gear Golem to smash his fist against Big Koala, who was forced to take the full force of the blow.

 **Chumley - 800 LP**

 **Crowler - 1500 LP**

"I play a Trap card!" said Chumley. "And it's a totally 'licious one called Animal Trail! When a Monster I control is destroyed by battle, I get to add a Beast-Type from my deck to my hand! And now, Des Kangaroo comes bouncing right into my hand!"

"A kangaroo? You have to do much better than that, Chumley!" advised Crowler. "Such as me activating the Spell, Ancient Gear Drill! Thanks to this card, it allows me to take any Spell card from my deck and set it on the field! And with that, I'll end my turn!"

"Aw man!" cried out Syrus.

"Did he say...any Spell?" Alexis wondered.

"Knowing Dr. Crowler, he might have taken out a really powerful one," said Elize.

"This is not brooding well," commented Bastion.

"Give it a rest already," sighed Chazz, bored with the duel. "He's through."

"Not yet! Chumley, remember last night and what I said?" called out Jaden. "Your friends are with you! So, go get them!"

Everyone from the sidelines started to stand up and cheer loudly for Chumley, urging him to go forward. Some, like Jaden and Elize, were encouraging Chumley with compliments while some others like Chazz and Syrus, yelled for Chumley to beat up Crowler and show him who's boss; a bit of an avenging reason for all the stuff Crowler has put them through.

"I get it now..." mumbled Chumley. "That's why Jaden has so much fun! He never duels alone because he's got us! And now I got them!"

Hearing Chumley's resolved answer, Jaden ceased his cheering and nodded. "That's right!"

Raising his cards in the air, Chumley happily replied, "You can't beat me, Crowler! 'Cause it's more than just me! It's on my best buds too! Jaden...everyone...Thanks for everything! Now, let's do this!"

"Jaden can't save you!" spoke Crowler, wearing his usual smug grin.

"But this card just might!" countered Chumley, drawing his card before gasping. _'It's my card! The one I thought up when I went camping with my Dad! Aw...who am I kidding? From when I ran away was after I flunked my second exam! I went to toss my deck off the highest rock I could find to give up dueling for good! But then...it happened! I saw the most awesome-licious sunrise ever! And that's when I realized that things may seem to be in their darkest, but they're not going to seem that way for long!'_

Seeing Chumley's newfound determination right in front of him, Crowler couldn't help but be surprised at this new level of development.

"Now I activate Ayer's Rock Sunrise!" Chumley yelled. "You can't stop the sun from rising! Just like you can't stop my dream! I will become a famous card designer! And now, let's see one of my first card matches! First, it lets me Special Summon a Beast-Type from the Graveyard! Think you can guess who? The one, the only Big Koala!"

Big Koala - (EARTH/Beast) - LV7 - (2700/2000)

"Now for the second effect of Ayer's Rock Sunrise! For every Winged, Beast, and Plant-Type Monster in my Graveyard, your Monster loses 200 Attack Points for each!"

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - LV8 - (2600/3000)

Crowler freaked out over the sudden loss in power points for his Monster as Chumley still stayed determined and fresh in his path. "Now, how about we try something different with Polymerization! I'm fusing Big Koala and Des Kangaroo to summon Master of Oz!"

Thanks to Chumley's hard work and efforts to delaying the duel long enough for him to contain the required cards, all of his work was being paid off in the form of a powerful boxer Monster which so happened to be his ultimate Monster.

Master of Oz - (EARTH/Beast/Fusion) - LV9 - (4200/3700)

With Master of Oz being his key to his new future, Chumley couldn't help but stare at him a bit longer. "Alright...time to finally ace my exam!"

Watching Chumley proving himself over and over throughout the duel truly impressed and made Crowler proud. "Bravo, Chumley! Very impressive! Especially for you!" _'Impressive, indeed! But how could I, Dr. Crowler, an Obelisk Blue, allow a Slifer Red flunkie to defeat moi?! The answer? I can't. If you attack, it'll be your last mistake!'_

Turning towards Crowler, Chumley commanded, "Alright, Master of Oz! Attack Ancient Gear Golem! Outback Attack!"

Once Master of Oz was close enough, that was when Crowler used the perfect opportunity to counterattack. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Limiter Removal! With it, the Attack Points of all my Machine-Types are doubled!"

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - LV8 - (5200/3000)

It was far too late for anyone to stop the close encounter between Master of Oz and Ancient Gear Golem, as their fists crossed paths with each other and made direct hits. However, only one of them survived the fatal fight, and that so happened to the be stronger Ancient Gear Golem, who was powered up at the last second and defeated Master of Oz effortlessly, bringing a final closure to the duel.

"I...I lost!" sobbed Chumley, who had worked so hard to obtain victory.

 **Chumley - 0 LP**

 **Crowler - 1500 LP**

 **Winner: Crowler**

Even though Chumley lost the duel, his friends still applauded for him doing such a great job against the struggling Crowler, cheering him on even after the duel was over. They wooed and clapped loudly for him, making up for being such a small crowd in the form of great friends.

"But I...I lost! I can't get my dream job!" sobbed Chumley, wiping his tears away with his sleeve. He was happy his friends still applauded for him even after his loss, but that didn't change the fact that he lost.

"Stop that crying!" shouted Crowler. "It's true that you did lose this duel, but losing doesn't always mean failure! You see, the duel was not to win or lose, but to prove your ability! For the talent that you displayed today, how could I ever fail you? I will recommend you for the position at Industrial Illusions! Congratulations."

Seeing a hand offered to him, Chumley confirmed one more time to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "So, does that mean...?"

"You're graduating, congratulations."

With a bright and proud look on his face, Chumley gratefully took Crowler's hand, shaking it as a sign of acceptance over his duel. Although he lost the fight, he didn't lose the war, so in a way, even though he lost, he did win at the same time, and it would just be one more step towards the new future he was beginning to build for himself.

* * *

 **Skit: Punishment Letter**

"Oh, yeah! That reminds me!" shouted Chazz before swiftly turning to Jaden and grabbing him by the collar. "Jaden, you bastard! How dare you steal my deck?!"

"Whoa, whoa! What are you talking about?!" exclaimed Jaden, holding his hands up. "I never stole your deck!"

"Yeah?! Then, how do you explain this?!" Holding up the threatening letter from before, Chazz presented it to Jaden.

Quickly reading it over, Jaden said, "What?! I wouldn't ever steal your deck!"

"Hey, Chazz! Leave Jaden alone! Do you seriously think Jaden would even steal your deck?" questioned Alexis. "Think about it! He's an honest and good duelist! I don't think he would resort to stealing your deck!"

"Unlike a certain someone who destroyed mine," grumbled Bastion, still holding a small grudge at Chazz for ruining his.

"Yeah!" said Jaden. "Besides, I wouldn't just leave at painting your room pink! I would have sprinkled sparkles and put girly stickers all over just to piss you off!"

"GYAAAAAHHH!"

"Jaden, you're making it worst!" shouted Syrus.

"Ah! Chazz!" called out Elize, running up to him while holding his deck. "Here! I'm sorry for all the trouble!"

The group went silent, with the exception of Jaden, who went "Ow!" when Chazz dropped him.

"I did not expect this coming," commented Syrus.

"You...stole my deck?!" yelled Chazz, grabbing ahold of Elize and shaking her back and forth. "I'm gonna strangle you for that!"

 _ **"Boss! Boss! We told her to do it!"**_ cried out Ojama Yellow, trying to defend her.

 _ **"Yeah, you were being a jerk and we wanted to teach you a lesson!"**_ spoke Ojama Green.

 _ **"You shouldn't ever make a girl upset!"**_ shouted Ojama Black.

Chazz felt a tick mark forming. "When this is all over...we're going to have a long talk together. _A very long talk."_

Once Chazz put down Elize, Jaden placed a hand on Elize's shoulder. "Elize...how could you? How could you make such a letter?"

Elize felt remorse and guilt over her action. "Jaden, I..."

"...WITHOUT ME?! I WANTED TO GET IN ON IT!"

"WHAT?!" Everyone else exclaimed.

"That's it! You two are coming with me!" yelled Chazz, wrapping his arms around both Elize and Jaden's necks and dragging them off, ignoring their protests.

* * *

 **Skit: Secretive Burning**

As Elize was cleaning Banner's room, she came across a small box in Banner's closet hidden deep within the darkness. Curious, she pulled it out and wiped the dust off the front of the box before opening it, finding a heap of magazines inside.

"Hey, what is this?" wondered Elize out loud, picking one up and searching through the magazines. "Why does Professor Banner have a magazine on women with swimsuits? They look pretty, though!"

Hiita, upon overhearing Elize as she was wandering around the room, bored, walked over and saw the pictures. Her face burned red from the sight of such picture. _**"W-WHAT?! Elize! You have to burn the entire box!"**_

"Huh?! Why?! This is Professor Banner's property! I can't do that!"

 _ **"Y-You have to because...because these books are under the influence of the darkness left behind in Amnael's shadow! If you burn these, then the darkness will go away, and Banner will be set free peacefully!"**_

Elize gasped, but nodded. "Okay! I'll do it! I believe in you, Hiita! But...how do I burn these? I don't exactly have a fire."

Hiita normally would, except she was under probation for using her fire powers too much in the human world. _**"...Go ask Jaden or one of the others for a lighter."**_

"But why would they have a li-"

 _ **"GO BEFORE THE DARKNESS TAKES OVER THE WORLD!"**_

"Eep! Okay! I'm sorry!"

Meanwhile, Banner, who had just came out of Pharaoh's mouth once again, was mentally sobbing to himself as he overheard the entire conversation. Well, he was a ghost and ghosts can't physically touch anything, so in a way, he doesn't need the magazines anymore, but it was going to be a shame since he'll miss them.

* * *

 **Finished! Oh, and for the next chapter, it'll be a special duel!**


	28. The Graduation Match

**The time has come for the final episode of Season 1! Here we go, and it's a huge surprise to all of you!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Ah..." sighed Elize, relaxing her shoulders as she was enjoying some tea she managed to brew up herself. Enjoying some nice, relaxing tea after taking a bath really was smoothing and helped calm her nerves.

She had finished recovering from her injuries from the duel with Kagemaru, but her Duel Spirits still insisted that she kept herself easy for a little bit since they were worried for her. Thinking back, in a way, even though she provided support for Jaden, she knew that she had become a little more stronger with the experience she obtained and hoped to use that experience one day for something beneficial.

A knock from her door brought her attention before she set her cup of tea down and stood up. "I'm coming! Please wait a moment." She walked towards the door, opening it before looking up to see someone she never expected to meet of all places.

"Zane? Zane! O-Oh! Hello!"

"Yes, hello," spoke Zane. "Is it okay if I come in for a second? I have something important I want to talk to you about."

"Sure!" Elize stepped out of the way, allowing Zane inside before closing the door behind her. "Would you like some tea? I only have a little bit left, so..."

Zane shook his head. "No, thank you. Besides, I didn't come here for tea. I came here to inform you of something regarding of the Graduation Duel coming up tommorow."

"Oh! The Graduation Duel! I heard you were the prime duelist participating in that. Congratulations, Zane."

Zane nodded. "Thanks. But I wanted to tell you that I want either you or Jaden as my opponent."

"Huh? Wait, what?!" exclaimed Elize. "Jaden, I can understand, but why me?!"

Zane held up a hand. "Hold on. I said either you or Jaden. I confirmed it with the Chancellor, and he agreed to a duel between you and Jaden to decide who duels me. So, in a way, it's a pre-Graduation Duel."

"I-I appreciate all you've done, but might I ask why choose me? Jaden deserves the position more than me."

Placing a hand on her head, Zane spoke, "Elize, you're strong. But the main problem is that you're too low in confidence. But, in your duel with Kagemaru, I noticed that sort of confidence building up slowly inside, and confidence is part of what makes a strong duelist. Maybe there are some complicated matters you can't understand right now, but if you strive for the path of becoming a great duelist, you'll understand the key points of being strong."

"Zane...Thank you."

"Also, you were the only other person that managed to keep her Spirit Key and face off against Kagemaru. Sure, Jaden was there, but so were you."

Elize sweatdropped. "Wait, that's the reason why?! I feel like that other reason's the main point of why you chose me!"

Zane suppressed a smirk. "And that's another thing. You've changed for the better, Elize. Alexis told me that you were a sputtering, shy girl at the beginning. You still are, but now, you're learning how to stand up for yourself."

Elize blinked. All this time, she's been focused on her friends and the Shadow Riders that she barely noticed any changes about herself besides the fact that she's been growing stronger in knowledge and skill of dueling. Has she changed that much?

"Good luck tommorow," praised Zane, walking out of the room and leaving her be.

 _ **"Don't worry, Elize! We'll cheer you on from the Spirit World!"**_ encouraged Hiita, gathered around by Elize's other Duel Spirits.

Elize was surprised for a moment, but nodded. If she was going to face off against Jaden, she had to prepare tonight for what's to come tommorow.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in the forest..._

Having met each other on their way to their respective dorms, Alexis and her two friends, Chazz and Bastion, decided to talk to each other for a little while, especially about the special event tommorow.

"It's true!" exclaimed Alexis excitedly. "Zane was given permission to nominate students to duel each other for the chance to duel him! And he's already chosen Elize and Jaden!"

"My, that would become the makings of an interesting duel!" said Bastion. "Think about it! Two Slifer Reds competing against each other for the right to duel against Zane. Should one of them win, they'll be the next top student of the school! Should be good!"

Having heard enough of the whole setup for tommorow, Chazz trembled with anger. He stomped continuously, yelling, "It should be the Chazz dueling! Now, that's a match!"

"HEY!" All of a sudden, Atticus literally came swinging down into action, having eavesdropped on the trio from on top of a tree before landing down carefully. "Not so sure about that, Chazzy! See, with Elize and Jaden, it'll be defensive vs offensive!"

"Well, it's true that Jaden focuses on offensive strategies," admitted Alexis. "Plus, he duels more passionately than Elize."

"True," agreed Bastion, crossing his arms. "However, Elize has healing and high defensive tactics, so it'll be tricky for even Jaden to bypass her defenses. When it comes to smarts, I think Elize has the right idea, so I vote she might win."

"Elize is good, but Jaden has more experience, so I say Jaden might win."

"Hmm...What a choice to make...assuming either of them win," said Atticus. "I would normally pick the lovely ladies the winner, but this time, I gotta say that Jaden might be the victor, too."

"Gah! I still wanna participate!" complained Chazz. "But, just for argument's sake, I vote Red Hat Girl! Only because I don't want Jaden to win!"

* * *

 _The next morning..._

Even though it was only the entire school watching from the sidelines, both Elize and Jaden felt upon the gaze of the entire world on their shoulders as they headed for the platform arena, where their duel would be taking place. This was to be an intense duel between the two, and even though it was, there would be another duel for them, whoever the victor of the duel was.

"Good luck out there, Elize!" called out Jaden, waving at her.

Elize nodded. "You, too!"

 **"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another successful year of Duel Academy! Now, as part of the end of the year events, we were originally going to host a Graduation Duel, but before we get to that, the winner of this duel will get to duel against Zane, the top student of our beloved academy!"** announced Crowler, causing the audience to cheer loudly. **"And now, without further ado, let's get this duel started!"**

The two duelists activated their duel disks, and afterwards, Jaden said, "Hey, Elize! You can go first, if you want!"

"Oh, thank you, Jaden! But, I think it'd be better if you went first!" offered Elize kindly.

"No, no! It's alright! Here, you can go first!"

"But I insist! It's alright for you to go first, Jaden!"

"But then I'd feel bad since I'm forcing you to go second! Here, you can go first! It's okay!"

For the next few minutes, the two friends chatted up a storm, lightly arguing who should go first and second, much to the annoyance of everyone as they were wasting precious time and were increasingly growing bored.

Furious, Crowler yelled in the microphone, **"I CAN'T TAKE IT! ALRIGHT, WE'RE SETTLING WITH THIS! ELIZE SIMINGTON WILL GO FIRST, AND THEN JADEN YUKI AFTER HER! WE GOT THAT?! DO NOT TEST ME!"**

"Y-yes, sir!" agreed Jaden and Elize, gulping as they didn't want to face their teacher's wrath.

"LET'S DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"Time for me to go first!" said Elize, drawing her first card. "I set a Monster and set one card facedown before ending my turn!"

"My turn!" Jaden said. "Alright, I activate Polymerization and fuse Avian and Burstinatrix together to create Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

The two Elemental Heroes dove into the fusion portal where their bodies and powers would merge into Jaden's favorite and signature Monster.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

 _'I knew he'd eventually play that Monster,'_ thought Elize confidently. _'I can't believe how right I was!'_

"Now attack her Monster!" ordered Jaden as Flame Wingman zoomed into towards her Monster, prepared to fire as her Monster flipped over to reveal as Wynn the Wind Charmer.

Wynn the Wind Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"I activate my Trap, Waboku!" declared Elize. "When it's activated, I take no Battle Damage for the rest of this turn, and none of my Monsters are destroyed by battle!"

Strong winds swirled around Wynn, creating an impenetrable wind barrier that not even Flame Wingman could pierce through.

"Gah! Jaden should have been more careful!" cried out Syrus.

"It gets worse!" said Bastion. "Now, Elize's Monster will activate her effect!"

"I activate Wynn's Flip effect!" shouted Elize. "As long as she's out on the field, I get to control 1 WIND-Attribute Monster on your field! I knew that you would bring out Flame Wingman, so I prepared myself! Now, you have to give him to me!"

"Grrr! Awwww! Losing my favorite Monster so soon?!" complained Jaden. "Alright, alright!"

Flame Wingman flew over to Elize's side as soon as Wynn's spell worked effectively on him, causing Flame Wingman to temporarily become Elize's ally. Turning to him, Elize spoke quietly, "Sorry, I'm going to have to use you for a while. Is that okay?"

The large Fusion Monster crossed his arms and nodded. After all, it was fair play in this duel, so naturally, all cards used by whoever owner had the right to be used no matter who controlled them.

"I'm not done! I Normal summon Bubbleman in Defense Mode!" Jaden said.

Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"And when he's out on the field all alone, I get to draw two more cards! I set a card facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Elize. "Okay! I sacrifice Flame Wingman for a Tribute Summon! I Tribute Summon Dark Magician Girl!"

Bursting into flames, Flame Wingman howled in pain before shattering to pieces. The flames dispersed and formed into the one popular female Duel Monster everyone loved, as well as cheered for when they saw her appearance on the dueling field.

Dark Magician Girl - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (2000/1700)

"Uh...How did she obtain such a rare card?!" exclaimed Chazz, shocked.

"I can't believe Elize had a card like that the entire time!" said Syrus.

Alexis shook her head. "No, I think she's obtained it recently. Otherwise, she would have used it a long time ago."

"Even so, she pulled off an excellent move!" commented Bastion. "Even though Dark Magician Girl is slightly weaker than Flame Wingman, Jaden can't bring Flame Wingman back to his side because Flame Wingman's in the Graveyard!"

"I activate Polymerization!" said Elize. "I fuse Wynn on my field along with Aussa in my hand to Fusion Summon Thora the Thunder Charmer!"

The combination of both the WIND and EARTH-Attribute female Duel Monsters was created by merging the girls in a dark cloud twister before that twister shot out lightning, exposing a new blond-haired female warrior to the field.

Thora the Thunder Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1800)

"Please destroy Bubbleman, Thora!"

With static electricity pumping up her energy, Thora concentrated her power before unleashing a large thunderbolt at Bubbleman directly from her position.

"I activate the Trap, Hero Barrier!" shouted Jaden. "As long as I control an Elemental Hero, I can negate one attack!"

The thunderbolt was instantly blocked by a twisted portal-like shield, absorbing the electricity, thus nulling the attack.

"Then, please attack, Dark Magician Girl!" Elize shouted. "Dark Burning Attack!"

The crowd cheered once Dark Magician Girl winked at them before performing her signature move on Bubbleman, blasting him into nothing but ashes.

"I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Jaden. "Cool! I activate Polymerization, and this time, I'm fusing Elemental Heroes Clayman and Sparkman to create Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

Baring a heavy body, yet garbed in a huge defensive suit meant to guage his offensive and defensive powers, Thunder Giant made his way onto the field, ready for action.

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"When he's Fusion Summoned, I get to target a Monster on your field whose original Attack Points are less than Thunder Giant's, and destroy it! So, goodbye to that Charmer Monster!"

At the same time, both thunder-users unleashed their full power against each others, clashing thunder with thunder. However, being more stronger than her, Thunder Giant's beam of electricity overpowered Thora's own power before she was overwhelmed and blasted.

"Plus, I didn't even attack yet, so go, Thunder Giant!" yelled Jaden. "Attack Dark Magician Girl!"

Thunder Giant extended a palm filled with electricity, shocking Dark Magician Girl as she was left in a fried state before falling down, waving a white flag of surrender.

 **Elize - 3600 LP**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"And with that, I'll end my turn with a facedown! Your move, Elize!"

"Okay!" Elize said, drawing her card. "I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two new cards! I activate Fusion Recovery, which means I get back Polymerization and a Fusion-Material Monster from my Graveyard! I choose Aussa the Earth Charmer! Using Polymerization, Aussa, and Eria the Water Charmer, I'm going to Fusion Summon! Come forth, Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"

Baring forest green-colored robes while wielding a wooden staff, Forsythia stood up from kneeling down upon her arrival, grinning and winking at the enemy as flowers blossomed around her.

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2000/1800)

"Next, I equip the Spell, Black Pendant onto Forysthia, raising her Attack Points by 500!"

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2500/1800)

"That's just enough to wipe out Thunder Giant!" gasped Syrus.

"Please go and destroy Thunder Giant!" commanded Elize.

At her mistress' wishes, Forsythia raised her staff, causing roots to emerge from underneath Thunder Giant and tangle his limbs, thus rendering his movements useless as he was lifted high in the air. Lowering her staff, the roots vanished, causing Thunder Giant to fall to his doom.

 **Elize - 3600 LP**

 **Jaden - 3900 LP**

"Not so fast!" shouted Jaden. "I play a Trap, Change of Hero - Reflector Ray! Now when an Elemental Hero Fusion Monster I control is destroyed in battle, you get hit with damage equal to its original Level x 300! And since Thunder Giant was a Level 6 Monster, you get hit 1800 Points of Damage!"

Elize panicked, not knowing what to do before a bolt of lightning struck down from above, hitting her. Luckily, it wasn't real lightning and only effects from the duel, but it still stung a little.

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Jaden - 3900 LP**

"I end my turn by placing two facedowns! At this moment, Forysthia's effect activates! During my turn, if any Spells or Traps affected her, then they're automatically destroyed at the End Phase! But there's more! Because Black Pendant is being sent from the field to the Graveyard, its special effect activates and deals you 500 Points of Damage!"

Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2000/1800)

 **Elize - 1800 LP**

 **Jaden - 3400 LP**

"Then, I guess it's my turn!" said Jaden. "I play Card of Sanctity, meaning we both draw until we have six cards in our hands! Now I play my own Fusion Recovery, meaning I take back Polymerization and one Fusion-Material Monster back to my hand! I'm choosing Sparkman! And now, I play Monster Reborn to revive Flame Wingman!"

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

"Forsythia's effect activates!" shouted Elize. "Because you Special Summoned a Monster, I get to bring back a Spell card from my Graveyard! And I choose Polymerization!"

"Fine by me! And if you think that's over, you're mistake! I fuse Flame Wingman with Sparkman in order to create the Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!"

Both Flame Wingman and Sparkman merged in unison, becoming as one as their transformation made a sudden twisted turn. White armor as bright as light was garbed onto Flame Wingman, fully equipping him for battle.

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2500/2100)

"I-I activate Forsythia's effect to take back a Spell card from my Graveyard! And I choose Black Pendant!" said Elize, a little hesitant.

"Thanks to his special ability, he gains 300 Attack Points for each Elemental Hero in my Graveyard! And I count...7! So, he gains 2100 Attack Points!" calculated Jaden.

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman- (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (4600/2100)

"Now, go! End this, Shining Flare Wingman!"

"This is it! Elize can't withstand such a powerful blow, even with her Monster protecting her!" cried out Bastion. "Plus there's that extra ability SHining Flare Wingman has!"

As Shining Flare Wingman approached quickly at a fast speedy pace, Elize quickly countered. "I activate my Continuous Trap, Magicians' Defense! While I control a Spellcaster-Type Monster, any damage I receive is halved!"

A barrier in the form of a magic circle showed up in the nick of time in front of Forsythia, shielding her from the light blast coming from Shining Flare Wingman. However, the armored Monster smashed through the magic circle, taking out Forsythia.

 **Elize - 500 LP**

 **Jaden - 3400 LP**

"It's over! Shining Flare Wingman's effect activates!" shouted Jaden. "When he destroys a Monster in battle, the Attack Points of your Monsters get dealt to you! I win!"

"I activate my other facedown, Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment!" declared Elize as a pink magic circle revealed itself underneath her, forming a pink barrier. "Now, all Effect Damage delivered to me becomes 0 until the end of this turn!"

"Damn...just as I thought, her defenses are really strong!" Jaden muttered. "Alright, I end my turn!"

"My turn, draw!" said Elize. "Hmmm...Oh! I activate two Spell cards! First, Dian Keto the Cure Master! I restore my Life Points by 1000!"

 **Elize - 1500 LP**

 **Jaden - 3400 LP**

"Next, my second Spell, Rain of Mercy! Both you and I gain 1000 extra Life Points!"

 **Elize - 2500 LP**

 **Jaden - 4400 LP**

"Is she trying to lessen the threat of losing by restoring her Life Points?" wondered Bastion.

"There's no point to it, though," commented Chazz. "Even if she summoned a Monster in Defense Mode, Shining Flare Wingman would still destroy it and she'd still get hit by Effect Damage."

"Okay! The preparations are almost done!" said Elize. "I activate Soul Charge! For every Monster I Special Summon from the Graveyard, it'll cost me 500 Life Points for each one! Also, the Monsters I Special Summon can't attack this turn! I Special Summon three of my Charmers! Aussa the Earth Charmer! Eria the Water Charmer! And Wynn the Wind Charmer!"

Aussa the Earth Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Wynn the Wind Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Eria the Water Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 **Elize - 1000 LP**

 **Jaden - 4400 LP**

Grinning with excitement, Jaden asked, "Hey, Elize? Just a guess...but is Hiita in your hand, too?"

Elize nodded, revealing one of her cards by turning it around for him to see. "I think you can see what my next move is, Jaden! Please brace yourself!"

Alexis' eyes widened. "Whoa...She's going to summon the same Monster she summoned during the duel with Kagemaru!"

"Wait, which one?" wondered Syrus.

"I activate Polymerization!" Elize declared. "Using Hiita in my hand, along with all three Charmers on my field, I Fusion Summon using all four of them! Wake up from your slumber, Aeolos the Aether Charmer!"

Aeolos rose up, stretching his arms and yawning as he had to wake up and prepare for battle. He heavily disliked fighting, but since his master worked hard to summon him, might as well put her fruits of labor into good use.

Aeolos the Aether Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV10 - (2900/2500)

Chazz crossed his arms. "That Monster's strong, but it can't even hold a candle compared to Shining Flare Wingman!"

"...Uh...Chazz? Did you forget Aeolos' various effects?" reminded Alexis.

"What effects?"

"I activate Aeolos' effect!" shouted Elize. "By removing from play a WATER-Attribute Monster from my Graveyard, I can target a card on your Graveyard and send it to the bottom of your deck! I choose Shining Flare Wingman after removing Eria the Water Charmer!"

"Yup, should have known she'd pick that first," commented Jaden, watching as Shining Flare Wingman was washed away by a tidal wave and sent flying back to his Extra Deck.

"I now equip Aeolos with Black Pendant, raising his Attack Points by 500!"

Aeolos the Aether Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV10 - (3400/2500)

"Attack directly please, Aeolos!"

"Oh man, this is gonna hu-GHHHHHAAAAAHH!" Like Jaden stated, a jolt of lightning struck downwards and hit him with a huge amount of energy from the blast, causing him to fall backwards.

 **Elize - 1000 LP**

 **Jaden - 1000 LP**

Elize sighed in relief. "I end my turn! Jaden, are you alright?"

Waving his hand, Jaden tried to stand up properly. "Yeah! I'm fine! My turn, right? Draw! Cool! I activate Miracle Fusion! By banishing Fusion-Material Monsters from my Graveyard, I get to Fusion Summon a Monster! I banish Burstinatrix, Avian, Clayman, and Bubbleman in order to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Electrum!"

Glowing bright with overwhelming strength, the Elemental Hero of the four elements flew down onto the field with his arms crossed, yet ready to fight.

Elemental Hero Electrum - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV10 - (2900/2600)

"And when he's Fusion Summoned, all removed from play cards return to your deck and are shuffled!"

Eria the Water Charmer's card flew back, slipping into Elize's deck before it automatically shuffled for itself.

"Now that that's done, I activate Hero's Rule 1: Five Freedoms!" said Jaden. "Now a total of 5 cards in your Graveyard are removed from play! I choose all five of your Charmer Monsters!"

"But if that happens...then I can't activate Aeolos' effect!" cried out Elize.

Jaden nodded. "Exactly! And now, I attack! Go, Hero Electrum! Finish this!"

"Wait, wait, WHAT?! Why would he attack?!" exclaimed Syrus. "It makes no sense! Her Monster's clearly stronger than Electrum!"

"I...Even I can't think of a plausible explanation for his reckless action," admitted Bastion, surprised.

Grinning, Jaden shouted, "Now! I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Battle Fusion! Now my Fusion Monster receives the same amount of Attack Points as the Attack Points your Monster has right now! So, in total, Electrum gains 3400 Attack Points!"

Elemental Hero Electrum - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV10 - (6300/2600)

Both Spellcaster and Elemental Hero clashed with each other, blow to blow; one using magic and the other using physical strength. In the end, physical strength was what triumphed for Electrum as he shattered through Aeolos' defenses and dealt the finishing blow.

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Jaden - 1000 LP**

 **Winner: Jaden**

 **"There we have it!"** announced Crowler, standing up as both Jaden and Elize collapsed out of exhaustion. **"The winner is Jaden Yuki from the Slifer Red Dorm!"**

"I...I lost..." panted Elize, sitting up straight to catch her breath from the tiring duel. "But, I don't feel unhappy or mad about it..."

Shaking, Jaden stood on his feet and walked over to Elize, extending his hand out to her. "You okay...? Tight duel out there!"

Elize nodded, taking his hand and standing up. "Yeah...Just tired."

"Yeah, me too. Damn, I didn't really expect the duel to take a whole lot out of me. But anyways..." Holding his casual finger symbol in front of her, Jaden winked. "That's game! Just sit back and watch me duel Zane next!"

"Okay...Good luck, Jaden!"

As the two contenders left for their own business, the entire audience applauded for all their hard efforts and work, knowing they put everything they had into the fantastic duel they just witnessed. Even Zane had a proud smile on his face, knowing that by now, the two were nearly equal in level, but it was that Jaden had more determination and passion that helped him win the duel.

 _'Jaden, I can't wait to duel you next,'_ thought Zane, getting up to the dueling platform to face his opponent.

Elize, knowing the seats around the arena, especially the area near Alexis and the others, were full, waited near the dueling platform, being given privilege to witness the final Graduation Duel at close sight. She knew that no matter who won the duel, she would grow and learn through experience itself.

Thus branching the mark of her improval.

* * *

 **Alrighty! I might do one or two more chapters of this story before it goes Hiatus temporarily, but I have an important question for all of you!**

 **How does the Red Hat guy in the Tag Force games manage to get to Satellite in New Domino City?**

 **I mean, he just up and goes anywhere he wants without restriction, and that shouldn't be possible in the anime where there are rules prohibiting one from entering or exiting Satellite! If anyone could give me a solid, reasonable explanation as to how it was possible, I may be able to use it!**

 **Thank you and have a great day!**


	29. Prelude: Summer Settings

**Thanks for all your help, everyone! Ultimately, a user named Thunder Crush helped me make the final decision, and you'll see why I asked that question before soon!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

 _ **"Elize? Wake up..."**_

"Mmm...five more minutes..."

 _ **"But wasn't today the day? You know, the day where you finally get to go to that one place you couldn't go before?"**_

Yawning, Elize sat up on her bed, stretching her arms. "Okay...Just hold on, okay?" She turned and got off her bed groggily, wiping her eyes with her hands as she proceeded to go to the bathroom.

Like any person, she rinsed her face with cold water; it being the only reason she managed to stay awake as the cool, fresh water splashed onto her eyes. After washing up, she headed downstairs, where her Grandma was currently cooking pancakes for breakfast.

"Good morning, Grandma!" called out Elize, waving to her before giving her a quick hug from behind.

Flipping the pancakes one more time, Silva placed the fresh pancakes onto a plate before turning and giving her granddaughter a hug. "Oh, good morning, Elize! Did you have a good sleep?"

Elize nodded, yawning slightly. "I wish I could go back to sleep, though..."

"But then you wouldn't come with me today. And I thought you wanted to find more parts for that toy you were fixing?"

"Yeah..."

"So, why don't you pull up a chair and sit down so we can both eat the pancakes I just made?"

Nodding, Elize obediently sat down, awaiting for her Grandma, who came towards the table with two plates of pancakes. Once her Grandma arrived and sat down, Elize stood up and walked over to her Grandma, setting her plates down and beginning to massage her shoulders.

"Oh, you don't have to do this, Elize. I'm alright," assured Silva, patting her granddaughter's hand.

Elize shook her head. "No, it's okay! I want to help you relax, Grandma! I'm perfectly alright! I want to do this, so just relax."

Sighing, Silva nodded and took a few deep breaths, relaxing her shoulders as Elize gently placed pressure to help her elderly body. Her granddaughter has always been like this; helping little old her simply because she was her Grandmother. "Thank you then, Elize. It does my old bones some good that you're constantly helping me out."

Elize nodded. "But, of course! Oh, by the way, where's Big Sis?"

"Your sister went to work early. I gave her a banana to eat along the way to work," told Silva. "She was in a hurry, so I didn't have time to make her pancakes."

"Oh...I guess we won't be seeing her until later tonight, huh?" Elize was a little sadden, but knew her sister's job was important at the moment. "Well, that's how it is. Are you okay now, Grandma?"

Silva gave her a curt nod. "Yes, but now's the time for you to eat your pancakes, dearie."

"Oh! We forgot the butter and maple syrup! Please wait a moment!"

Elize rushed towards the refrigerator, grabbing the two ingredients meant to make a pancake even more delicious. Like the good-natured child she is, Elize placed the two items on the table before taking out the butter knife and spreading butter all over her Grandmother's pancakes. Carefully, she spread the maple syrup all over the pancakes and without waiting, she began cutting the fluffy pancakes into several pieces using the fork and butter knife.

"Elize, you know you don't have to do that every time we eat."

"But I want to! It'll make things easier for you, Grandma! I'll sit down now!"

Sitting across from her Grandma, Elize began preparing her own pancakes before proceeding to eat. There was very little chatter between the two, but both blood relatives enjoyed each other's company as they finished up breakfast.

Once breakfast was finished, Silva stood up to clear the dishes and place them in the sink when her granddaughter beat her to it. "Grandma, you should sit down and relax. I'll take care of the dishwashing."

Surprised at this newfound knowledge, Silva asked, "Elize, you learned how to wash the dishes?"

Her granddaughter nodded. "Yeah. I did some volunteer work back at Duel Academy and this nice lady named Miss Dorothy taught me! I've done this before, so let me take care of this."

Thinking it through, Silva nodded. "Okay, I have a phone call to make anyways. But, leave the knives alone, alright? I don't want you to cut yourself."

"Okay, Grandma!"

Several minutes later, a sad-looking Silva returned to the kitchen, where Elize had finished cleaning the rest of the dishes, save for the knives. "Elize? I'm afraid I have some bad news. It looks like we'll have to postpone our trip until tommorow. My old friend is very busy today, unfortunately. I'm sorry."

Although Elize was a little upset about the change in plan, she wasn't the type to complain over things like that. Besides, if they were heading to their special trip tommorow, why not wait until then?

Clasping her Grandma's hands over hers, Elize granted her a smile. "It's okay, Grandma! We can wait! It's really okay!"

"Thank you for understanding, Elize. You're such a good child. But..."

"But?"

"Did you wash your hands with soap and warm water after you're done with the dishes?"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'll go do that right now!"

* * *

 **Skit: Little Red Riding Savior**

"Hmm..." muttered Elize, walking around in circles in her room. "Okay, I have to carry her groceries, open the door for her...so much to do!"

 _ **"Elize, what are you doing?"**_ wondered Eria, curious as she laid on Elize's bed. The other Charmers, having finished their magic lesson, arrived onto the scene as well as Fog King, who personally served as Elize's bodyguard.

"Hmm? Just thinking of things I can do to help out Grandma! Now that I've been taught a few housekeeping lessons from Miss Dorothy and the others, I can help out Grandma more!"

 _ **"But you know she'll constantly worry about you. She might want to do these chores herself and not want to waste your time,"**_ reminded Aussa.

"What?" Elize said. "No, I'm not wasting my time! I enjoy helping her! And if helping her makes her happy and more relaxed, I'll gladly do it everyday!"

Moved by her motivation to provide support for her elderly Grandma, her Duel Spirits were touched by the innocent radiance coming from their mistress. _**"Master...you're so kind!~"**_ Everyone exclaimed happily.

 _ **"She's super nice and my own cinnamon roll!~"**_ giggled Lyna.

 _ **"Helping out the elderly is good, I suppose,"**_ commented Dharc, crossing his arms.

 _ **"She's like Little Red Riding Hood!"**_ squealed Eria. _**"It totally fits her! She likes red, she's in Slifer Red, and she's taking care of her Grandma! What more can you ask from a cute little button like her?"**_

Fog King couldn't have agreed more. _**"Yes...until we reach the Big Bad Wolf..."**_ At the mere reminder of the antagonist of the fairy tale, Fog King's eyes lit up with fire as he unsheathed his blade. _**"If she ever meets a boy that likes her, it is our duty as her guardian Duel Spirits to protect her and murder every single boy that lays eyes on her! As well as bury their dead bodies."**_

 _ **"Yeah!"**_

 _ **"Wait, no! We're not going that far!"**_

 _ **"All is for the sake of our mistress!"**_

Elize chuckled, sweatdropping at the chaos happening in her room. Well, she was used to this, so she shouldn't really be surprised.

* * *

 **Skit: Ancient Value**

 _ **"I'm surprised, Elize,"**_ commented Fire Sorcerer, glancing at the Shadow Charm pendant wrapped around Elize's neck. _**"You still have that thing on? The whole Shadow Riders issue is already gone."**_

"I know, but I know this can protect me from any unexpected forces," replied Elize. "I talked to Miss Doriado and Mystical Elf about this, and they told me to keep it around me for safekeeping."

 _ **"Yeah, but aren't you going to that trip tommorow? I heard from other Duel Spirits that that place is extremely dangerous and full of criminal-like people. You should be careful,"**_ warned Aussa.

Holding his branded sword up high, Fog King declared, _**"If any criminal so much as dares to touch a single strand of hair on my mistress' head, I shall chop their heads off!"**_

 _ **"Idiot, we can't physically hurt humans unless given permission."**_

 _ **"I CAN STILL TRY!"**_

* * *

 **Whew! Originally, I meant to do the whole trip in this chapter, but changed my mind at the last second. Now, I'll do the trip in the next chapter! For sure! I just wanted to clarify more information about Elize and her everyday life and how much she's blossoming into a young, smart lady! Hope I did a good job!**

 **Read and review!**


	30. Enforcing Experiences!

**Okay, for real! This time, we have the trip ahead! And you'll figure it out pretty soon!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"All board! Five minutes until the ferry leaves! $50 dollars if you wish to board the ferry to Satellite!" announced some of the crew members in the docks, helping escort any passengers who wish to enter Satellite. Of course, since Satellite was barely popular, the only ones wishing to go to Satellite were Elize and her Grandma, Silva.

Still donning her traditional red cap, Elize was garbed in something other than her Slifer Red outfit. Fit for the summerm, she wore a regular white sundress with a red jacket over it, blue shorts underneath her dress, and gray-colored flat shoes. Strapped onto her shoulder was a red strap bag while she still wore the Shadow Charmer pendant as well as her duel disk just in case.

It took a while for them to ride the ferry because their items had to be inspected and examined throughly just in case they weren't smuggling anything dangerous to Satellite, as part of the ferry rules.

This ferry system was not only meant to bring any visitors to Satellite, but more importantly, deliver goods to and from Satellite. Some rules for visiting Satellite was that people were prohibited from bringing back anyone who weren't visiting guests back to New Domino City, and that anyone under the age of 17 had to be accompanied by a guardian if they wish to visit Satellite.

"So, we're going to visit your friend, Miss Martha?" wondered Elize, turning to her Grandma.

Silva nodded. "She's quite nice. She runs an orphanage and she's a nurse. I'm sure the kids will enjoy you being there, as well."

"Yeah...but I also want to check out the hardware store in Satellite."

Sighing, Silva placed her hands on her granddaughter's shoulders. "I know you do, but I have to warn you that it is very dangerous in Satellite. There are lots of dangerous people inside who want to hurt others for their own benefits."

"...I know, you told me that before lots of times. But, Grandma, why is Satellite separate from our city? Is it to keep bad people away?"

Silva shook her head. "That's not the case. I can't explain it, but it's always been like that. I'm sure that a lot of good people have turned bad through unfortunate consequences in Satellite. But I want you to remember not to be discriminating towards them. It's not their fault they ended up as they are now. Understand?"

"Of course! I would never be discriminate!" replied Elize. She was taught long ago by her Duel Spirits that racism and discrimination was wrong, yet still occurring throughout the world, and even in the Spirit World, something Elize didn't completely understand, but knew it would be hard for people to accept changes.

"I know you won't. You're a smart and kind girl, Elize. I wish you would stay like that forever."

"Entrance closing! Shipway to Satellite commencing!" shouted a crew member just as the ferry was starting up, ready to take its crew members and passengers towards their destination; Satellite.

* * *

 _Later, at Martha's house..._

Silva knocked on the door of a large house, which is supposedly Martha's orphanage. A few seconds later, a Hispanic woman unlocked the door, granting both Silva and Elize a smile when she saw them.

"Oh! Silva! How nice to meet you! And is this your granddaughter you've always talked about?" welcomed Martha. "She's much cuter and young-looking than I expected!"

Out of habit, Elize hid behind her Grandma, shyly peeking her head out. "I-It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Martha! M-My name is E-E-E-Elize!"

"Oh, and she's shy, too. Don't worry, I won't bite. You should come in and meet the children!"

Once inside, Martha guided the two guests towards the playroom, where there were toys scattered around and being used by the orphans who were happily playing with them. Martha cleared her throat loudly, causing the orphans to obediently ceased what they were doing and pay attention to her.

"H-Hello," spoke up Elize, waving at them nervously.

"Hello!" some of the kids replied back cheerfully.

Martha smiled. "Everyone, these are my two friends, Silva and her granddaughter, Elize. Be sure to be polite and nice to them as they are visiting here."

"Okay!" everyone chirped before some returned back to their playful activities.

One of the girls grabbed Elize's arm and tugged it. "Come on! Play with us! Play with us!"

"Huh? Oh...Okay?" Elize was forcibly dragged by the girl to join her and a few other girls who held dolls. Satisfied with her granddaughter being occupied, Silva decided to follow her old friend into the kitchen for a cup of talk and for a friendly chat.

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

"And now us girls are going shopping in our pink limousine!" cheered one of the girls, moving her doll with the other girls. Elize followed motion, though was becoming more tired and tired with the roleplaying.

 _'I'm a little sleepy, but I've never experienced playing with others before, so this is a opportunity!'_ thought Elize, listening to the girls chatter while pretending to check out clothes.

Entering the playroom, Martha and Silva approached the kids with worried expressions. "Attention, everyone!" called out Martha. "Has anyone seen Lilie?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and glanced around the room. Some shrugged their shoulders while others shook their heads, having no idea where their orphaned friend was.

"Oh dear...I think she may still be in Satellite somewhere," theorized Silva. "You did mention that she wouldn't wander in too deep in the dangerous parts of Satellite, right?"

Martha shook her head. "But she should have been back early! I'm getting a bit worried now. Satellite's full of tough-looking duelists, and I'm afraid she'll get kidnapped! What should I do?"

Elize perked up from the pieces of information Martha revealed before standing up straight. "Miss Martha, if you'll let me, I can go search for this missing girl."

"Elize, no! I'm not sending my granddaughter out in a dangerous environment," scolded Silva before grunting in pain, bending her back. "Ooh! My back!"

"Grandma, it doesn't matter if the danger's in an unfamiliar place!" argued Elize. "Besides, I'm a duelist trained by professionals at Duel Academy. I've gotten way stronger than I have before, and I can do this if you let me!"

Surprised, Silva couldn't help but be taken aback. Elize was never like this about a year ago, so full of confidence and more risky to help others. Well, she was still helpful, but never so much as to risk her own life. Whatever her experiences in Duel Academy taught her, for better or worse, it was making Elize more considerate towards others.

"Hmm...How about this?" suggested Martha. "You can go to Satellite, but not too deep within. There's lots of nasty folks inside. I heard you also came here to Satellite to buy some parts, right? Well, if you have some time, then if you find Lilie, you can go and get your parts as well."

With all that's happening, Elize had nearly forgotten her main purpose for accompanying her Grandma. Well, finding Lilie was her top priority, but the excitement of the spare parts also filled her with determination.

Elize turned to her Grandma, silently pleading for permission. "Very well, I can't stop youngsters like you anyways," agreed Silva. "Just...If you see any danger, then run. Come back to the orphanage as fast as you can. Alright?"

"Yes, Grandma!"

Soon after departing from the orphanage, it didn't take long for Elize to arrive at one of the entrances to Satellite. Unlike New Domino City, it was...filled with depression, sorrow, and not an inch of happiness was anywhere.

Elize heard so many terrible things about Satellite, but to come and experience and witness it herself...she couldn't help but feel sympathy for the people being forced to live in a cruel environment.

"Crow!"

Startled, Elize glanced left and right before hiding behind a pole just in case there were any bad people around like she was warned. Peeking out from the poke, she saw a small girl running towards a young, spiky orange-haired individual.

"Lilie! There you are! I got a frantic call, explaining you were missing! Martha's been worried sick!" said the orange-haired man. "Here, I'll take you back to the orphanage.

 _'Oh, so that's Lilie,'_ thought Elize, watching the girl jump into Crow's back as he started to carry her back, piggy-back style. _'It seems she trusts that guy, and he knows where the orphanage is, too. I guess, in a way, my job here's done.'_

Looking around, Elize couldn't help but be more curious about the entirety of Satellite. She was interested in roaming around the streets a little, and since Lilie was found early, it couldn't hurt to spend some more time to try and find the nearest hardware store...right?

Jeez, where was she getting this rebellious streak from? Oh right, Chazz and Jaden.

Elize found the task to be more difficult than expected since everywhere she was looking, she encountered more and more dead ends and buildings. Roaming around, she noticed homeless people struggling to live, trying to stay warm near fires, searching around in garbage bins, sleeping in the streets, and so much more.

 _ **"Elize, what are you thinking, walking around the streets where there are potential killers and kidnappers everywhere!"**_ scolded Aussa. _**"Go back to the orphanage!"**_

 _ **"I hate to admit it, but Aussa's right. This place is giving me the creeps!"**_ admitted Hiita.

"Oh! Maybe I could ask that person!" said Elize, pointing to a man wearing a pink shirt with a green necktie.

 _ **"ELIZE! WHAT THE HELL?!"**_

"U-Um...excuse me?" Elize greeted shyly, walking up to the man. "Could you help me, please?"

"Eh?" The man turned around, currently smoking a cigarette.

 _ **"HE'S A SMOKER! KILL HIM!"**_ yelled Hiita.

Eria bonked her on the head with her head. _**"Would you hold on? Besides, it's not like we can physically harm him."**_

Staring at Elize up and down, the man told her, "Hey, I don't think I've seen you around here. Looking for something?"

Nodding, Elize answered, "I'm looking for the nearest hardware store, or at least a tools store. Is there anything like that around here?"

With a creepy, huge grin, the man said, "Why, of course! I know just the place! It's not too far from here! Just follow me!"

 _ **"Elize, I am begging you, this guy's clearly a creep! You should run and ditch him while you still have the chance!"**_ cried out Hiita, cautious.

"Relax, Hiita. If I see trouble, I'll run. I promise," assured Elize, trailing behind the man as he started escorting her towards the hardware store like he promised.

True to his word, the man lead her all the way to the entrance of the hardware store, which appeared worn down by the marks on the stone walls and the broken glass windows. Then again, a lot of buildings were like this, and it didn't seem surprising that this wasn't any different.

"This is the shop. They have other stuff apart from tools and stuff like that, but it's all high quality. If you tell them Gordon sent you, they'll treat you well."

Realizing that the man's name was Gordon, Elize bowed her head. "O-Of course! Thank you very much, Mr. Gordon!"

Watching Gordon leave, Aussa spoke up. _**"I'm surprised you didn't tell that man your name. Normally, when you find out someone's name, you introduce yourself to them too to make it fair."**_

Elize shook her head. "He was nice to me, sure. But that doesn't mean I fully trust him. Besides, Big Sis has told me never to tell my name to strangers unless I trust them."

 _ **"Huh. That's some good logic you remember there."**_

Heading inside, Elize gazed at the products being sold inside of the hardware store. Like Gordon mentioned, there were shelves full of books, tools, Duel Monster cards, and so much more.

Seeing as Elize was the only customer in his store, a man with a mohawk approached her. "Hey, kid. You want something or what?"

"Oh! Yes! Mr. Gordon sent me!"

The mention of his name brought a grin to the mohawk man's face. "Ah, him? Acquaintances, are we? Well, welcome! What are you looking for?"

Thankfully, Elize wrote down a list of the parts she needed, so she handed the list to the mohawk man for him to read. "Do you happen to have these parts? I'd really appreciate it if you do."

"Let's see what I can find..." Taking the list with him, the mohawk man started gathering parts from all over his shop, storing them in a grocery bag before handing the bag and list over to Elize as well as a note of the price.

 _'This is going to use all of my piggy bank which I've saved throughout the years, but I'm sure it'll be worth it!'_ Elize thought, handing over an envelope of money.

The main reason why she chose to use Satellite's hardware stores was because in New Domino City, the hardware store parts was more expensive than the parts in Satellite's shops, so there was no way she could afford the parts with the current money she had spent. But with the parts she had, she might be able to complete her goal.

"Come back anytime if there's anything you need!" offered the mohawk man, waving at her as she left the shop. "I'll give ya a good discount, young lady!"

 _ **"Well, that was...easy,"**_ commented Aussa as Elize wandered off from the shop, _**"I thought something bad might happen, but everything's happening so well...oddly."**_

What Elize never expected was for someone to shove her to the ground, causing her to yelp and scrap her knee as she had accidentally dropped her grocery bag. Her assaulter happened to be Gordon, who snatched her grocery bag before making a run for it.

"Ow!" cried out Elize, sitting on one knee as her other was bleeding badly.

 _ **"Elize!"**_ gasped Wynn, kneeling down to help her friend.

 _ **"THAT BASTARD!"**_ cursed Hiita. _**"I knew something fishy was up with him! I just knew it! Never trust guys with bowl heads and pink shirts!"**_

 _ **"Mistress Elize has drawn blood...That man will pay!"**_ swore Fog King, raising his sword.

 _ **"Elize, after him!"**_

"My stuff! He stole my stuff!" Elize shouted, standing up as she ignored the throbbing pain in her knee before attempting to run and catch up to Gordon. Luckily for her, Gordon was somewhat of a slow runner and she spotted him entering a rundown building.

Just when she was about to enter the building to give chase, a man with goggles stepped out, blocking her path and causing her to step back.

"Hey, little girl! What do you think you're doing, stepping into someone's home without permission!" The goggles man shouted.

 _ **"A building is considered a house?"**_ wondered Hiita and Eria, confused.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to intrude!" apologized Elize. "I only wanted to search for the man who went inside just now! His name's Gordon! He has a bowl cut and a pink shirt with a weird tie!"

"Eh? I haven't heard of no Gordon before, especially someone with a stupid description like that! Stop accusing me of stupid stuff! Now, get outta here!"

Elize frantically shook her head. "N-No! I saw! I saw Mr. Gordon come into the building! Please, I need my stuff back!"

The goggles man didn't appear to have anymore interest in Elize's say. "If you're not leaving, then I'll have to teach you a thing or two about my strength! Hey, boys! There's a little troublemaker here who won't go away! Let's force her to!"

From Elize's left, a black cap man appeared, and from the right, a man with a blue cap arrived, thus cornering and blocking every direction Elize could have of any escape.

 _ **"Oh, it is ON! Bring it! I'll burn you motherfuckers to the ground!"**_ swore Hiita, gripping her staff.

 _ **"For justice! For Mistress Elize!"**_ declared Fog King.

Aussa sighed. _**"How many times do I have to repeat myself? OUR POWERS DO NOT WORK ON HUMANS. Not unless we have special permission!"**_

Glancing around and limiting her choices, Elize gulped before activating her duel disk, prepared to make a counterstrike. "Guess I have no choice! I'll have to fight my way through!"

 **"Three against one? That's a bit unfair, if you ask me,"** spoke Eria, preparing for battle.

Hiita grinned, holding her staff. **"The riskier the duel, the more fun it is!"**

 **"I-I'll do my best as well! I'll provide as much support as I can!"** promised Wynn.

 **"Well, since we've come this far, might as well see it to the end!"** agreed Aussa, pushing her glasses up.

Suddenly, a voice called out of nowhere. "Come on now...can you guys be any more sterotypical?"

"Huh?" Turning her head to the left, Elize spotted two more duelists entering the fray. One had spiky hair while the other had bluish-whitish hair with a hairband; both sporting the same vests.

"I mean, three against one is unfair!" protested the bluish-whitish haired duelist, crackling his knuckles. "And to gang up on a kid...you guys just hit a new low!"

 _ **"Kyah!~ These guys are pretty hot! Elize, when you get older, date one of them! Or start a harem of hot guys!"**_ squealed Eria, ectastic to see the two new duelists.

"W-why would you even suggest that?!" exclaimed Elize, red-faced.

 _ **"Eria's...suggestion aside, it seems from what they're saying, they've come to our aid,"**_ commented Aussa. _**"So now, it's a three-on-three duel."**_

"Anyway, surely, this area's being controlled by our Team Satisfaction, eh?" spoke the bluish-whitish duelist.

"More importantly, we can't like a villain like him run wild," said the spiky-haired duelist.

"Huh?! Who are you guys?!" exclaimed the goggles man.

"Hmph. We just introduced ourselves as Team Satisfaction. You're not just bad, but stupid too, apparently," scoffed a blond-haired man, walking onto the scene and wearing the same vest as the other two.

 _ **"Hmm...He's not too bad-looking, either! Hmm...Team Satisfaction, huh? They can satisfy me anytime,"**_ purred Eria, licking her lips deliciously, receiving looks from her friends. _**"What? Oh, come on! You cannot look me in the eye and not say they're pretty hot!"**_

 _ **"...Elize, while you still have the chance and the other duelists are distracted, run for the building,"**_ spoke Aussa as the six duelists were about to commence battle.

"R-Right!" Taking her Duel Spirit's advice, Elize rushed inside as fast as she could, hearing the sounds of dueling from the background.

Various hallways and doors served as her obstacle as the inside of the building was practically a maze for her. She wandered around left to right, wondering which way to go. She was frantic, knowing she couldn't let Gordon get away with his nasty crime.

"Aaaah! W-what should I do?! It'll take forever to find him!"

 _ **"It's simple! Open all the doors until you find the bastard!"**_ replied Hiita, grinning.

"O-Okay! Let me try this one..." Elize politely knocked on the first door she saw and waited for a response. "Excuse me?"

 _ **"No, no, no, moron! You're in a dangerous town! You have to be a gangsta to beat a gangsta!"**_

 _ **"Hiita! Don't encourage our master to do violence!"**_

 _ **"Oh, hush, Aussa! Elize, if you wanna do this right, then just wear sunglasses, get two guns, and start shooting the place until you're out of bullets! That's how pro spies always do it in the movies! They're like, bang bang! Bang bang!"**_

 _ **"Hiita, that doesn't work! That's illogical and where is she going to get guns anyways?!"**_

As Aussa and Hiita were in yet another one of their heated arguments, the door opened, revealing a feminine-looking man with tattoos and huge scars all over his body. "Hi, sweetie!~ You called for m-"

 **SLAM!** Panicking, Elize suddenly slammed the door shut and ran for it, turning a corner in the hallway. "Never mind! Next door!"

 _ **"Ew, ew,, ew! We just encountered one of those types! EW!"**_ squealed Eria, squeezing her eyes tight. _**"If there are a few things I hate, it's unfashionable people and feminine-looking guys!"**_

 ** _"Elize, try this door!"_** Lyna suggested, pointing to another door.

Nodding, Elize pried the door open with all her might, succeeding in doing so. Inside of the room, she could see two people underneath some bedsheets, doing some sort of activity while making weird sounds and causing the bed to squeak back and forth.

 _ **"MY EYES! THEY BURN!"**_ screamed Hiita, covering her eyes while the rest of Elize's Duel Spirits flustered at the sight. Only Elize remained confused and oblivious.

 _ **"ELIZE, CLOSE THE DOOR! CLOSE THE DOOR!"**_ Her Duel Spirits screamed at her, prompting Elize to quickly take action by obeying them and running for it.

"What? Why?! I don't understand what's going on!" cried out Elize, deciding to take the stairs this time instead of opening another door that could potentially lead to another awkward moment.

 _ **"Trust me, Elize! It's for the best!"**_ assured Eria, patting her back.

Lyna, on the other hand, seemed to be rather giddy about what happened. _**"Hehehehe!~ Dharcy! I wonder if we'll ever do-"**_

 _ **"LALAALALA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! LALALALALA!"**_

Elize sighed, making her way up to the next floor of the building and wandering aimlessly once again. "How am I going to find Mr. Gordon? He could be anywhere!"

"Damn...Can't rest with all this commotion," grumbled Gordon, turning into a different hallway, which happened to be the same hallway Elize was in.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...WAH! MR. GORDON!"

"GAH! THE BRAT FROM BEFORE! Damn, what are the others doing?!" cursed Gordon, who was just as surprised to encounter the same girl he stole from.

"Um...A team called Team Satisfaction is dealing with the guards, if that's what you're wondering," tattled Elize.

"Oh...That explains everything. So, I suppose you've come back to take back those parts, right? You know, in this town, it's the victims who are the blame. Think of it as a lesson and move on."

 _ **"Yeah right! You're just saying that as an excuse to get away with your crime!"**_ accused Eria.

 _ **"Elize, don't let his words get to you! Teach him a lesson!"**_ encouraged Hiita.

Aussa smacked Hiita on the head. **_"We're not encouraging her to use violence!"_**

"I-I won't let you escape!" declared Elize, blocking his only path out. "Please gimme back my stuff!"

"As if! Or, do you want to duel me and win these parts back?" offered Gordon.

Elize quickly nodded, complying. It was better than using actual violence on him. "Okay! We can have a duel, then!"

"Alright!" Stepping back for distance, both duelists prepared for their duel.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Gordon - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"I'll start things off first!" said Gordon, smirking. "I activate the Continuous Spell, Water Hazard! Once per turn, if I control no Monsters on my side of the field, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Monster on my field! I Special Summon from my hand Armed Sea Hunter!"

Armed Sea Hunter - (WATER/Sea Serpent) - LV4 - (1800/400)

"Now I Normal Summon Uminotaurus in Attack Mode!"

Uminotaurus - (WATER/Aqua) - LV4 - (1700/1000)

 _'He has a WATER Attribute Deck that focuses high in Attack Points, but low in Defense Points,'_ thought Elize. _'I can definitely take him on! And I've got the perfect card to control WATER Attribute Monsters!'_

"I set a card and end my turn! Now, let's see what you've got, girly!"

"Okay!" said Elize. "I set a Monster and then a card facedown before ending my turn!"

"That's all? How disappointing! I expected more from you!" said Gordon. "This'll be easier than I hoped for! I sacrifice my two Monsters to bring out my most stronger WATER creature! Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon!"

Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon - (WATER/Sea Serpent) - LV7 - (2800/1600)

"Attack her facedown, Poseidra!"

"Not so fast! I activate my Trap, Negate Attack!" shouted Elize. "Your attack is negated and your Battle Phase ends!"

"Hmph! No matter! I'll just end my turn! There's no way any of your puny Monsters can destroy my powerful beast!"

"Attack Points don't mean everything, you know! I learned that the hard way!" Elize said, drawing her card. "And I'll show you how you can turn the tables in a situation like this! I Flip Summon Eria the Water Charmer! Because of her Flip effect, she can now control a Monster on your field so long as it's a WATER Attribute!"

"What?!" exclaimed Gordon as Poseidra swam over to Elize's side, being controlled by Eria's spell. "Tch...no matter! Even if you attack, it'll be all over for you, then!"

 _'What's he talking about?'_ pondered Elize before noticing his facedown card. _'Oh, right! I should probably get rid of that before continuing!'_ "I play the Quick-Play Spell, Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your facedown card!"

Gordon grunted as a small tornado whirled around and blew away his one facedown card, revealing to be Mirror Force, a Trap he planned to use in case he was up against a a strong Monster or he was left defenceless without any Monsters.

"E-Even if you attack directly, I'll still have some points left!"

Elize shook her head. "Not if I summon a new and upgraded version of my Charmers! I summon Blazing Hiita in Attack Mode!"

Blazing Hiita - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (800/1500)

"All three of you! Please attack him directly!"

Combining their elemental Attribute attacks together, a surge of heated rushing water merged with fire swirling around the water splashed onto Gordon, causing him to yelp and fall to the ground, utterly defeated.

 **Gordon - 0 LP**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

Relieved, Elize began walking towards Gordon as the rest of the dueling field vanished as a result of her being the winner. Thinking she was going to harm him, Gordon backed away in a hurry.

"Wait, wait, wait! A man never goes back on his word! I'll return these to you!" cried out Gordon, giving her back the bag full of parts.

"Oh! Thank you!" thanked Elize, watching Gordon run off. She checked the inside of the contents and determined that nothing else was left behind.

 _ **"Let's get out of here, Elize! The sooner we get out of here, the better!"**_ advised Wynn.

"Right!" agreed Elize, clutching the grocery bag tightly in her arms before running off. "Um...Guys? Where are the stairs?"

 _ **"I can't believe you got lost again!"**_ complained Aussa.

"I can't help it! It's my first time being in this huge building!"

 _ **"Just wander around again and hopefully, you'll find the stairs!"**_ replied Hiita lazily. Nodding to her suggestion, Elize walked around for a couple of minutes before arriving at a lone door.

 _ **"Wait, don't open it!"**_ Aussa shouted.

"Huh? Why?" asked Elize.

 _ **"We've already encountered perverts, weird men, and thieves! What makes you think this won't be any different?"**_

 _ **"But...when you see a door in the middle of a hallway, you can't help but want to open it, right?"**_ argued Lyna, trying to resist the urge to open the mysterious door.

 _ **"What kind of logic is that?! I'm the smart one out of all of us, and I say we don't open that door, Elize!"**_

"Um..." Curious, Elize placed her hands onto the doorknob and twisted it, ready to push it open.

 _ **"Elize!"**_

 _ **"Aussa, would you just relax? It's just a door! I'm sure nothing bad will happen!"**_

 _ **"Something bad will happen! It always does when you jinx something which you just did!"**_

The second Elize opened the door, she came face-to-face with the blond-haired man from Team Satisfaction, who was surprised to see her. The next second, Elize quickly slammed the door shut and ran for it.

"OW! MY NOSE!"

 _ **"Elize! What was that?!"**_ exclaimed Eria.

"I'm sorry! I panicked!"

Through all of her panicking, Elize managed to somehow find the stairs, leading her down to the first floor. She nearly tripped over several boxes and barrels that were littered all over the grounds of the first floor as she tried to find the exit.

Just as she was about to make a right turn to a different hallway, she heard the sounds of dueling nearby and hid behind a wall, hiding from plain sight. Peeking out, she saw the two members of Team Satisfaction from before along with the orange-haired duelist that helped Lilie dueling with some other nasty duelists.

"Yusei, how's it going on your part?" called out the bluish-whitish haired duelist.

The spiky-haired duelist named Yusei replied, "I'm fine, Kalin! Are you alright?!"

"I can do this all day! Bring it on!"

"What should I do...?" wondered Elize, deciding whether to join in or stay out of it and find another way out. She saw from another hallway a dangerous-looking duelist. It seemed that he wasn't going to play fair, as evident of him wielding sharp-looking knives and intent on killing the two Team Satisfaction members.

 _ **"Elize, run! He's dangerous!"**_ yelled Aussa, despite the dangerous duelist not even noticing Elize.

The Elize from a year ago would have done as Aussa said, but the past year has taught Elize how to be brave and not to run away from all of her problems. Gulping down her fear, Elize clenched her fists and glanced back at the boxes and barrels, wondering what to do in order to save Team Satisfaction. They may be considered strangers to her, but she wasn't going to let them get killed because of her cowardice!

Picking up an empty, small barrel, Elize watched the dangerous duelists sneak up on Kalin, intending to finish him off first while his teammate was distracted. Raising the barrel above her head, Elize hurled it as hard as she could.

Luckily for her, the barrel hit her target, but it only grazed the duelist's arm instead. "Ow!" he yelled, bringing Kalin's attention.

"What the-?!" Noticing the knife in the other duelist's hand, it didn't take much for Kalin to figure out the duelist's intent as Elize cowered back to hide behind the wall. With a swift right hook, Kalin delivered a punch to the duelist's abdomen, knocking him out with one blow. "That's what you get for trying to get a sneak attack on me!"

"Yes! I did it!" muttered Elize before noticing another duelist trying to attack Yusei from behind. However, he was too far away, and there was no way she could throw something so far as she wasn't confident in her throw.

 _ **"Hey, maybe you should try searching inside these boxes to see if there's anything to distract that other guy,"**_ suggested Dharc.

Elize nodded, running around and yanking the covers of the boxes off as quickly as possible. "Okay!" She saw an old, dusty whistle in one of the boxes and grabbed it, quickly wiping the dust off with her sleeve before running out of her hiding spot. She blew the whistle as loud as she could, causing everyone to stop what they were doing as their attention was towards her.

"U-Um...there's a really scary guy behind that spiky-haired guy! He's got a knife!" she yelled.

Realizing she was referring to him, Yusei turned around, spotting the duelist with the knife. "Hey!" He rushed up to him and kicked him down, proceeding to beat him up and take away his knife as Kalin, who finished his duel, rushed to aid him.

Returning to her hiding spot, Elize wondered what to do. The two knife-wielding duelists were already dealt with, but she didn't want to stick around when the duels were finished! She might get lost wandering around again and she might encounter another dangerous duelist! The best option for her was to hide in one of the barrels and wait and see what'll happen. It didn't take much for her to sneak inside a barrel and place the wooden cover over her head, leaving her in complete darkness as she sat down, keeping still.

About a few minutes later, Team Satisfaction came out victorious as they left their opponents unconscious. "Yeah! That's what you get for messing with Team Satisfaction!" cheered Kalin, fist-bumping Yusei. " Well, minus Jack, who's not here. Where is he, anyways? He said he was going to check up on the second floor and left without our consent!"

"I'm a little worried. Should we go check up on him?" wondered Yusei.

"No need. I'm here," spoke Jack, approaching his team with a somewhat bruised nose.

"What happened?" asked Kalin.

"I was searching some rooms for more duelists and was about to leave when some girl opened the door!" shouted Jack, irritated. "Then, she had the nerve to slam the door on me and run off! She practically broke my nose!"

Elize sweatdropped from her hiding spot. _'Uh-oh! I didn't mean to! But...it's probably best that I don't come out,'_ she thought, frightened as her barrel was very close to Team Satisfaction.

"Jack, calm down. I'm sure she didn't mean any harm," replied Yusei. "Besides, I think I know who you're talking about. Did that girl have a red hat and a summer dress on?"

"Well...I do remember a red hat. I presume we're talking about the same girl here?"

"Right. Kalin, wasn't she that girl who was being cornered outside and we came to her rescue?"

Kalin snapped his fingers. "Oh! Right! Yeah, I remember! Didn't really see what happened to her afterwards since we were dealing with those duelists!"

Yusei nodded. "During our duel earlier, I saw a barrel flying by and a girl hiding. I think she saved your life, Kalin."

"Really? Well, next time, I'll thank her properly!"

"It's not just that. She also blew that whistle and warned us of your attacker. In a way, she saved your life too."

Yusei blinked in surprise. "Now that you mention it, you're right. But, wouldn't that mean she's still around here in this building?"

 _'Please leave, please leave, please leave!'_ Elize frantically prayed, sweating like crazy.

"Well, I don't care what she did! She still broke my nose!" yelled Jack, kicking down a barrel.

"OW!" cried out Elize, accidentally blurting out her pain.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Did you hear something from inside that barrel?"

"No!" blurted out Elize.

The rest of Elize's Duel Spirits, who were watching from afar, sweatdropped. _'Yup, she's doomed.'_

Frowning, Jack placed the barrel back properly and opened the wooden cover, peering inside to see Elize, attempting to hide herself in the darkness of the barrel. "You!" He reached his arms out and grabbed the back of her jacket, picking her up in the air with ease thanks to her light weighted body and his superior strength.

"Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!" shouted Elize, struggling and squirming around in the air, making it a little difficult for Jack to hold her straight.

"Grrr! You! How dare you bruise my nose!" Jack yelled, shaking Elize back and forth frantically at a rapid pace.

"Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoa!"

"Jack! Let her go!"

"Jack, come on! It's just a kid!"

"Tch! Fine!" Dropping Elize roughly on the ground, Jack crossed his arms, still a little ticked off.

A dizzy Elize laid on the ground, swaying her head back and forth, groaning as she had swirly eyes and didn't seemed like her normal self.

"Jack!"

"You didn't have to drop her like that!"

"Are you okay?" asked Yusei, helping Elize sit up and regain herself as Kalin were getting all up on Jack's business, saying things about how it wasn't proper to do that to a girl, much less a kid.

"Yeah...I'll be okay, thank you," replied Elize, standing up and wiping the dust off her summer dress. "U-Um! Thank you all for helping me!" She bowed her head politely to the three guys.

Kalin merely grinned as he patted her hat. "What a polite girl you are! Really, we oughta be thanking you for saving us! Without your help and warning, we'd be in pretty bad shape!"

"By the way," spoke up Yusei. "What were you doing in that particular situation anyways?"

Giving a brief summary of what happened, Elize explained how she was new in Satellite, Gordon, and how he tricked her and stole her belongings. However, she did mention that she found him inside the building and dueled him, winning in the process.

"I see. So the same guy who told you about the store stole your parts?"

"Yeah, but why would he do that?" wondered Elize.

"It's a common trick in this town," answered Kalin. "Well, the important thing is that you got your parts back."

"Exactly. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Yusei Fudo."

"I'm Kalin Kessler! And this hot head right over there is Jack."

"Hey, who are you calling a hothead?!"

"I am, hothead."

"Why you!"

"R-Right! I should probably introduce myself as well!" squeaked Elize. "I...Uh...My name's Alexis Rhodes! Nice to meet you!"

"..." A tick mark appeared at the top of Jack's head. "You are such a terrible liar, you know that?!"

"Eep!" Realizing that she's been found out so quickly, Elize bowed her head. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to lie, but I have no choice!"

"No choice?! After all the trouble we went through of saving-"

"Jack, cut it out!" scolded Yusei. "Think of it this way. She just got tricked and had her belongings stolen by someone she thought she could trust and even encountered some bad people. You know there are pretty nasty people in Satellite, so it's only natural for her to be cautious!"

"...Tch, whatever! I'm heading out! We're done here, right?" spoke Jack, turning around to leave.

"And where do you think you're going?" demanded Kalin.

"To the new card store! I need to build up my deck!"

With Jack gone, Yusei sighed and turned to Elize. "Is it alright if I took a look at the parts you purchased?"

"Huh? Sure!" Without hesitation, Elize handed over her grocery bag, which Yusei took to examine the contents inside.

Handing back the grocery bag to her with a frowned look, Yusei shook his head. "...This is bad. And it was made this way intentionally.

"What?! Really?!" exclaimed Kalin and Elize.

"Yeah, as far as I can see, it's just junk stuck together."

"B-but I spend all my money into this stuff!" complained Elize. Years and years of hard work of earning money little by little...down the drain!

Balling his hands into fists and clenching them angrily, Kalin declared, "I can't forgive them for selling this stuff! Alexis, take us to this shop! I'd say it's time to give them a visit!"

* * *

 _Later, in front of the shop..._

Loud, distinctive sounds could be heard throughout the inside of the shop as well as arguing and crashing noises. Elize and Yusei were waiting outside, awkwardly sweatdropping as they had allowed Kalin to "handle" things from the inside.

"A-Are you sure he's going to be alright? I don't want anyone getting hurt over all this," spoke Elize hesitantly.

"Knowing Kalin, I know he won't go over his limits. He'll be fine," assured Yusei.

Afterwards, Kalin returned, a little battered, but otherwise alright. He walked up to Elize and handed her a small bag full of what appears to be her money. "We got your money back, but I don't see any official product anywhere."

"That store probably just put things together randomly. I doubt any of them work," commented Yusei. "Alexis, do you know any of the products or items you need?"

Elize nodded and handed him her list that she wrote down; specific parts that she required. "Will this do?"

"I think I can help you with this," spoke Yusei, reading over the list. "Are you still okay on time?"

"I...I should be okay for a couple more minutes. But afterwards, I really have to get back!"

Yusei nodded. "Then, hang on for a moment. I'll get them for you soon."

Seeing his friend take off faster than the blink of an eye, Kalin said, "He's gone. I haven't seen Yusei so full of life like that before in a long time. I know he said to wait, but there really isn't anything to do here to kill time."

"I guess we can talk if you want," said Elize.

Kalin snapped his fingers. "Ooh! Even better! Let's have a duel! Here and now!"

"Huh? Oh, okay! I guess one duel couldn't hurt."

"Right? Alright, let's start!" Backing away from each other to initiate the duel, both activated their duel disks at the same time.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Kalin - 4000 LP**

"I'll start!" said Elize. "I set a Monster and end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Kalin. "And it'll be a breeze! I summon Twin-Headed Wolf in Attack Mode!"

Twin-Headed Wolf - (DARK/Fiend) - LV4 - (1500/1000)

"Now attack her Monster, Twin-Headed Wolf!"

Twin-Headed Wolf rushed forward and pounced onto the Set Monster. However, the Set Monster flipped over, revealing to be Lyna as she used her staff to block the vicious bite attacks of the Twin-Headed Wolf.

Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

 _'He probably uses a Fiend deck, and most Fiend-Type Monsters are of the DARK Attribute type,'_ thought Elize, glancing at her cards. _'I'll get that Monster next time using Dharc, then!'_

"So your defensive Monster saved you! Big deal, I've still got plenty of game!" shouted Kalin. "I'll set a card before ending my turn!"

"My turn!" Being cautious, Elize directed her attention over to Kalin's facedown card. "First, I set a Monster, and now I'll use De-Spell on your facedown card, Mr. Kalin! When activating De-Spell, if I'm targeting a Set card, I can check it to see if it's a Spell or Trap! If it's a Spell, I get to destroy it, but if not, then it's returned facedown!"

Kalin knew full well what her intentions of activating that card meant. She was being extremely cautious and not want to rush into things. If she did, the Trap might prove to be her utter demise. He's had his own share of Traps before, so he knew how she felt.

Elize took a look at Kalin's facedown card, which happened to be Call of the Haunted, a Trap card. "I end my turn!"

"Then, I'll draw!" Kalin said. "I summon Newdoria in Defense Mode and attack with Twin-Headed Wolf! Attack her other Set Monster!"

Obediently, Twin-Headed Wolf lunged forward, ready to destroy the Monster when he froze in midair as magic runes appeared around his body. Flipping over, Dharc the Dark Charmer casted a Spell of obedience at Twin-Headed Wolf, heeding to his every command forcibly.

Dharc the Dark Charmer - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Originally, Elize planned to take control of Twin-Headed Wolf on her next turn, but this made things better! "I activate Dharc's Flip effect! He can take control of a DARK Attribute Monster you control so long as he's on the field! I choose Twin-Headed Wolf!"

"What?! No! Not cool, stealing my Monster like that!" shouted Kalin. "But I've still got some more tricks up my sleeve! I'll end my turn!"

Right as Elize was about to start her turn, Yusei came running up to her, handing her a new set of parts inside the grocery bag. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Alexis. This should be close to what you need."

Looking inside, Elize saw much better parts inside the grocery bag. "Thank you so much, Yusei! Um...how much do I need to pay you?"

"Money? Don't worry about it. I just put together some old parts nobody wanted."

That was a bonus for Elize's part, so she bowed her head thankfully. "Alright! Thank you so much!"

"Ahem! Hey, Alexis! It's still your turn!" called out Kalin.

"You guys are dueling? Well, I can't wait to watch this," commented Yusei, walking over to a nearby crate to sit down and watch the duel.

"It was my turn, right?" said Elize, drawing her card. "Now, I sacrifice Dharc and Twin-Headed Wolf to summon Fog King, and his Attack Points are the combined original Attack Points of the Tributed Monsters!"

Fog King - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (0/0)

Fog King - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/0)

"I attack with Fog King! Please destroy his Monster!"

Fog King wasted no time in slaying his mistress' opponent, destroying Newdoria with ease.

"I activate Newdoria's special effect!" shouted Kalin with a smirk. "When he's destroyed in battle, I get to destroy a Monster of yours! And I choose Fog King!"

Grunting at the explosion of Fog King's destruction, Elize said, "I end my turn."

"Great! My move!" Kalin said. "I activate the Trap, Call of the Haunted, to bring back Twin-Headed Wolf!"

Twin-Headed Wolf - (DARK/Fiend) - LV4 - (1500/1000)

"And now the moment of truth has arrived! I sacrifice both Monsters to summon Dark Necrofear!"

Dark Necrofear - (DARK/Fiend) - LV8 - (2200/2800)

"Dark Necrofear, attack her Monster!"

With a quick class of her cutlass, Dark Necrofear disposed of Lyna easily.

"I'll end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Elize, growing excited. "Alright! I activate Polymerization and fuse-"

 **RING! RING! RING!** A cheerful ringtone came out from Elize's cell phone, causing her to stop midsentence before she fished her phone out of her pocket; paling at the name of the caller.

Mina.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" asked Kalin, willing to wait.

"Yeah..." Elize flipped open the phone and placed it near her ear. "Hello? Big Si-"

 **"WHERE ARE YOU?!"**

Yusei nearly fell out of the crate he was sitting in and Kalin flinched from the loud voice coming from Elize's phone. Okay, they had not expected a monstrous voice to come out from the phone and it was almost too scary to ask where the voice came from.

 **"I've been worried sick about you! Do you know how mad I am right now?! Where's Grandma?! Is she with you?!"**

"B-Big Sis! I didn't really expect you to call so soon!"

 **"OF COURSE I WOULD! I arrived home early and just when I wanted to take a break, I found no sign of you or Grandma anywhere! You left no note and nothing! EXPLAIN!"**

Yusei and Kalin felt bad for the girl as they were forced to watch and listen as Elize tried to calm her sister down and explain things in a polite manner while enduring her sister's loud outbursts.

 **"I know I may be yelling at you, but it's to help straighten you up, Elize. SO YOU BETTER GET BACK SAFELY! AND DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO ESCAPE THIS UNPUNISHED!"**

"Y-Yes...Big Sis."

Once the conversation was over, Elize put away her phone and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "So...Um...here's the thing-"

"It's okay, we understand," assured Yusei. "You need to return home as soon as possible, right?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for all the trouble."

"What's more troubling is that sister you have. I feel bad for you," stated Kalin.

"Ehehe...You get used to it," said Elize. "Do you guys know the way to an orphanage belonging to Miss Martha?"

"I can take you to her," offered Yusei. "Come on."

* * *

 _A few days later..._

Needless to say, Elize received a long lecture and scolding from her sister, who was only concerned for her safety. Even though Silva explained everything to her granddaughter, Mina still punished Elize severely by grounding her, preventing her from going outside for a while and temporarily took away Internet-connected items from her. She also forbid Elize and Silva from going back to Satellite, much to their dismay.

While grounded, Elize took the time to use the parts and fix a couple of things in her personal tool shop, which happened to be the garage, and since nobody else in her family used it, Elize had it all to herself whenever she wanted to tinker with something.

A few days passed, and Elize decided to head outside, where it was currently raining. Holding an umbrella on one hand and placing a box underneath her armpit, Elize made her way to the park.

There was a reason why she needed the parts and it was because a few weeks ago, she accidentally broke a young boy's toys and promised to make it up to him by fixing them. So now, she decided to wait at a bench, awaiting for the boy's arrival.

"Oh! There you are!"

Elize looked up, spotting the boy she was waiting for. "Leo! It's good to see you again!"

Leo grinned, nodding as the water from his raincoat splashed onto the puddles underneath him. "You know it!"

"What about your sister?"

"She has a bit of a stomachache, so she decided not to go. Now, how about my toys? Did you fix them?"

Elize nodded, handing over the box of the small toys she fixed. "I'm sorry for breaking them. As a small bonus, I built a new toy for you. It's not much, but I hope you at least like the design."

"Wow, a new toy? Thanks!" thanked Leo, checking the toys inside the box.

"Leo, you should hurry back home. It gets dark early when it rains, and I don't want you to get sick, so get home safely and stay warm, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah! Okay! Thanks again!" Leo turned around and ran off; mud and water splashing onto his boots as he disappeared from her sight.

With her job accomplished, Elize stood up, ready to go home as well. On her way home, she spotted a garbage bin nearby, but the garbage bin wasn't what caught her attention. It was the thing right next to it.

A broken-down scooter.

Walking up to it, Elize gently placed her hands onto the drenched metal of the scooter. It didn't look brand-new, but it looked like with some adjusting, it could be fixed. It was always Elize's dream to one day ride a motorcycle, and she knew she wasn't in the right age requirements to be riding a scooter, but this scooter was meant to be thrown away, so nobody would mind if she took it home.

Little did she know, that later in the future, that scooter would help mark the starting point of her own future.

* * *

 **Skit: Danger Weakness**

 _ **"Remember, Elize! If you're ever in trouble, and if you ever get caught in the hands of a bad guy, always remember to kick him in the balls! By that, I mean right between the legs! Trust me, it'll work!"**_

"Hmm..." Elize was thinking back on Eria's warning about the dangerous people in Satellite and wondered what she meant. "Mr. Yusei? Mr. Kalin? May I ask a question?"

"You don't have to be so formal, you know," said Kalin. "Being called mister makes me feel old."

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"It's fine. Now, what was your question?"

"I got some advice from a friend of mine," began Elize. "She said that if I ever got in trouble and got caught by a bad guy, I should kick them right between the legs. But I don't really see why or how that would work. Do you guys know why?"

Yusei and Kalin paled at the question and looked away. "Nope! No clue! But I recommend you shouldn't try it on us!" replied Kalin.

"Huh? Now you just got me wanting to do it to you guys!"

Yusei glared at Kalin before gently looking at Elize. "Alexis, it's fine if you do it to bad people, but only under states of emergency, alright? Let's just say that doing so will...hurt them. Not too badly, though."

"Oh, okay! Wait, does the same apply to bad girls too?"

"Hey, I think I see the tool shop!" cried out Kalin. "It's probably this way, come on!"

"Nice save, Kalin," muttered Yusei. "Though your wording could have been different."

* * *

 **Skit: Harem Start!**

 _ **"Man, those Satisfaction guys are so hot!~"**_ gasped Eria, squealing fangirlishly. _**"Kalin's so dashing and so much like a rogue! Yusei's the calm and quiet type with the handsome looks, and Jack's the hot tempered, but protective type! I just know it! Eeek!"**_

 _ **"Wait, didn't Kalin say there were four members of Team Satisfaction? We never even met the fourth member,"**_ spoke Aussa.

 _ **"A mystery person? He must be as hot as the other three! Eeeek! I so wished we could have met him!"**_

 _ **"You and your fantasies..."**_

 _ **"Hate to break it to you, but those guys can't even see or hear us, so your fantasies are down the drain,"**_ replied Dharc.

 _ **"Boo, Dharc! How could you say that?!"**_

 _ **"Yeah, Dharcy! You don't go around ruining girl's dreams!"**_ scolded Lyna.

 _ **"Speaking of dreams, what about Elize? It's every girl's dream to get married,"**_ spoke up Hiita. _**"Think she might hitch with one of the three guys from earlier? Or maybe even Jaden?"**_

 _ **"Hiita!"**_ gasped Aussa. _**"Elize is too young to be thinking of love right now!"**_

 _ **"Oh, come on, Aussa! She's gonna turn 14 later this summer! Young teenagers always think about love!"**_

 _ **"Well...that's true..."**_

 _ **"And anyways, she's got a whole arsenal of guys to choose! Unless she wants to go for the harem route, where she can choose a lot of guys at the same time!~"**_

 _ **"NO!"**_ Suddenly, Fog King burst into the scene. _**"We cannot allow a single boy to pluck a single ounce of innocence from Mistress Elize! WE MUST PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS!"**_

 _ **"Fog King, aren't you being a bit too overprotective?"**_ spoke Wynn.

 _ **"NONSENSE! I AM MERELY LOOKING OUT FOR MISTRESS ELIZE'S SAKE!"**_

 _ **"And anyways, why are we talking about her love?! Those guys are clearly too old for her!"**_ shouted Aussa.

Hiita grinned. _**"For now, anyways!"**_

 _ **"No!"**_

 _ **"Aww, come on! You're just saying that because you don't have a boyfriend!"**_

 _ **"Well, neither do you!"**_

 _ **"..."**_

 _ **"...CRAP, CRAP, CRAP! ANOTHER FIGHT! STOP THEM!"**_

* * *

 **Skit: Stranger Things Happening All Around**

"Kalin? Yusei? Are there a lot of strange things here in Satellite?" wondered Elize.

"What kind?" asked Yusei.

"Well, when I was searching around in that building, I opened a lot of doors which had different scenarios. Like, one time, I opened the door and saw a man wearing women clothing."

"Uh..."

"Oh, and there was another time where I saw two people underneath some bedsheets. I didn't really know what they were doing, but I heard some weird sounds and-"

"OKAY! YES, THERE ARE WEIRD THINGS!" cried out Kalin, fighting back a blush.

"Hmm? I thought they were normal compared to the things I've been exposed to," replied Elize, obliviously.

"...I hate to ask, but what kind of things?"

Elize smiled. "It happened at the school I'm attending! I have this teacher who's really mean and wears makeup! I thought he was a woman at first!"

 _'A feminine-looking guy...'_ thought Yusei and Kalin.

"There's also my friend who stole something really important just to get the girl he liked to fall in love with him!"

 _'A loverboy...'_

"Oh! There was a student who went rogue and lived in the wild for...I think about a year? He lived in the wild because he couldn't get the Golden Egg Sandwich! Oh, and there was my friend Jaden, who dueled a monkey, a guy who was obsessed with tennis, and I think the cat I was looking after ate someone!"

 _'JUST WHAT KIND OF FREAKISH SCHOOL DOES SHE GO TO?!'_ thought Kalin and Yusei, horrified and shocked.

* * *

 **Finished! This takes place about three years before the start of 5Ds, by the way, so that explains the whole Team Satisfaction thing! Personally, the Enforcers sound more awesome than Satisfaction!**

 **By the way, gonna go Hiatus on this story for a while as well because of issues in life at stuff. Toodies and see ya later!**


	31. New Fates

**I'm back, and with a new chapter to boot! Let's do this!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Normally, when one returns for another school year, they come back and hang out with their friends and spend their time talking about summer or doing other friendship things.

Today, though, Elize wanted to spend some time alone.

So right now, Elize was sitting in a small field of flowers all by herself in the middle of a forest. Eating an apple she found near a apple tree nearby, Elize quietly ate her small snack as she enjoyed the sunlight bathing on her body.

It was a lovely, peaceful autumn day, with the fall leaves flying down from the strong breezes that rustled the trees and bushes of the forest. Elize would be enjoying the weather if it weren't for the fact that she was a little troubled and worried over her...guardian.

Watching her surroundings was her Duel Spirit, Fog King, who devoted his loyalty and protection over his to her. He truly cared for her ever since she bought his card when she was a child and in return, Fog King wished to protect her till the bitter end. But, watching over her without a break still worried Elize.

"Fog King, you know you can take a break, right?"

 _ **"Nonsense! If I take a break, who will protect you, Mistress Elize? I'll protect you to the bitter end!"**_

Once again showing his persistence, Fog King stood firmly near the flower field; his back turned to Elize as he wielded his sword at his side. Seeing no point in convincing him otherwise, Elize yawned, feeling the wamr sunlight making her sleepy. Before she knew it, she fell over went fast asleep on the comfortable bed of flowers.

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

A white-cloaked man was assembling his tarot cards together when something popped into his mind as he assembled all cards into a deck. Focusing on his fortune telling powers, the white-cloaked man drew a rather interesting card from the top of his deck.

"Hmm...the High Priestess card. Fate must have something stored for the High Priestess. Normally, I would have drawn The Fool, which represents Jaden Yuki, or The Hierophant, which represents Aster," muttered the white-cloaked man. "It's also upright. This means that the High Priestess may have something to do with destiny intertwining with The Fool and The Hierophant as well."

In the tarot meaning, The Fool is also known as a wild card, meaning it is very unpredictable anything could happening with the person being The Fool. For the Hierophant, it represents law and liberty, being a sort of justice kind of person.

As for The High Priestess, it was powerful in its own way, for it represented wisdom, kindness, and understanding. However, ever since the white-cloaked man's...obsession with The Fool card, not once has The High Priestess card had been brought up, only for special occasions, so imagine his surprise when he discovered that The High Priestess was involved.

"I must discover who represents The High Priestess and determine whether or not that person will be on the Society of Light...or against us..."

* * *

 _Later, that night..._

"Fog King, please! It's just me!"

 _ **"Even if you are friends with Mistress Elize, I cannot let you pass! You'll have to face me until I'm dead!"**_

"But you can't die! You're a spirit!"

 _ **"Thus giving me the advantage!"**_

"Huh?" Sitting up, Elize rubbed her eyes, wiping away any strands of flower petals and grass on her face and hair before looking up. She saw Jaden being blocked by Fog King's sword as he was merely protecting her. "Jaden?"

Seeing that Elize was awake, Jaden frailed his arms around. "Elize! Thank God! Your Duel Spirit was about to slice me in half!"

 _ **"Hold still!"**_

"Ah, Fog King, it's alright! Let me take over!" assured Elize, getting up quickly. With a nod, Fog King understood her approval and disappeared, leaving Jaden alone with Elize. "I'm sorry about that, Jaden!"

"It's cool! I was trying to look for you! Everyone else was worried because you haven't come back yet, but I'm glad you're alright!"

"Y-yeah! I'm sorry, I took a nap, and I didn't realize how long I was out!"

Offering his hand to Elize, Jaden smiled and told her, "No worries! If we go back, we should make it in time for dinner, so let's go!"

Nodding, Elize took his hand, allowing Jaden to lead her away. "Okay!"

"By the way, I gotta tell you something! I beat someone named Aster Phoenix today!"

"I don't know who that is."

"Me neither! But guess what? He's a Pro Duelist!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

The Wheel of Fate has turned once again, and with the companion of another tarot card, who knows what fate might have in store for these young heroes?

* * *

 **Sorry if the chapter was pretty short, but it was a sort of introductory for the second season to come back right up! And you guessed it, Elize is the Priestess representation!**

 **I noticed in the second season that Sartorious' deck represents the whole fortune telling thing like in the Persona series and did a bit of research and wondered what sort of Arcana Elize might have when I came up with this!**

 **Well, if you're curious for more, read and review!**


	32. Champion or Chazz-Been?

**Well, since I did the chapter for the Obelisk Blue thing vs Chazz in my other story, why not do the same thing here?**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Shuffling each other's decks in the middle of the duel platform in the Duel Arena, Chazz and a freshman Obelisk Blue student named Reginald Van Howell III, also known as Reggie for short, were preparing for a duel in front of a live audience; the entire school.

"Look who it is! If it isn't the guy who got demoted from the Blues!" taunted Reggie. "You're going down!"

Mildly amused by his weak backtalk, Chazz didn't seemed fazed. "Look, kid, you're an obnoxious little punk, and I can respect that. But no snot-nosed pipsqueak can stand up to The Chazz!"

Meanwhile, Jaden, along with his three friends, Alexis, Syrus, and Elize, were rushing to hurry to the Duel Stadium, where it was announced that a duel between Chazz and Reggie would be taken place officially with a huge prize reward at stake.

"We're going to be late for the first official duel of the year!" cried out Jaden.

"How come I never see you run this fast when you're late for a class?" panted Syrus.

"Because he saves his energy for when he's sprinting _out_ of class!" answered Alexis.

Standing near the dueling competitors who had distanced themselves and getting ready for their duel, stood Bonaparte as he began announcing some things into his microphone. **"Bonjour! I'm sure by now you all know moi!"**

Relieved that the duel hasn't started yet and that they arrived at the nick of time, Jaden and his friends glanced at the dueling platform and focused their attention towards Bonaparte.

"Who's the short, fat, bald guy?" wondered Syrus.

"Syrus! That is so rude!" scolded Elize.

"Right! Sorry..."

 **"For those who don't, I'm Vice-Chancellor Jean-Louis Bonaparte! But enough about me! This is about him! Former Obelisk Blue student Chazz Princeton! If he wins, he goes back to the Blue Dorms! Trust me, this is a duel you don't want to miss!"**

"Did you guys hear that?!" gasped Jaden, amazed. "If Chazz wins this duel, he gets a free pass back to Obelisk Blue!"

"Yeah, but if you ask me, that should have been you!" spoke Syrus, openly showing his dislike for Chazz. "What boob would pick Chazz?"

"This boob!" exclaimed Crowler, walking up to them and glaring at Syrus.

"Dr. Crowler!"

"It's _Chancellor_ Crowler, now! And there's a reason I chose Chazz for this duel! Why, it's a brilliant reason, in fact!"

"...Somehow, I doubt that," muttered Alexis quietly to herself.

"What was that?! Do you slackers know who joined this year's freshmen class?! Pro Duelist All-Star Aster Phoenix!" exclaimed Crowler.

"He enrolled here?!" gasped Alexis.

Syrus asked, "As a student?"

"So, where is he?" wondered Jaden.

"Well, that's just it! For some reason, he never showed up!" said Crowler, bitting his handkerchief out of worry and stress. After a few seconds, he calmed down and began explaining the entire situation to his four students.

* * *

 _Flashback..._

 _"He loves Duel Academy, he loves us not," mumbled Crowler, sitting in his office all alone while playing with the petals of an orange flower and plucking them out. "He loves Duel Academy, he loves us not, he loves Duel Academy, he lo-"_

 _"I've been looking everywhere for you!" yelled Bonaparte, ticked that he literally had to search the entire campus and inside the Duel Academy building just to chat with Crowler. Here he was, trying to find the man when all he's been doing is sitting on the floor, picking flowers._

 _"I NEEDED SOME ME TIME, IS THAT ALRIGHT WITH YOU?!" hollered Crowler; his concentration now broken thanks to Bonaparte's interruption._

 _"Why? So you could torture flowers?"_

 _"No, so I could deal with the Aster problem! What did I do to make him hate us?" sighed Crowler, calming down once he glanced at Aster Phoenix's poster on the wall. He continued plucking petals off his flower. "He hates our school! He hates us not! He hates our school! Ugh...He hates us..."_

 _On that last sentence, Crowler plucked the last petal on the flower, thus confirming his suspicions._

 _"IT'S ME! I'VE DRIVEN HIM AWAY! Oh, well! There's no sense dwelling in the past!~" Crowler's mood suddenly changed for a lighter tone as he skipped towards his office desk to show Bonaparte a poster of Chazz dueling against Reggie. "We can't find a star, so we'll have to create one! And Chazz Princeton is the perfect candidate to launch Duel Academy into the spotlight!"_

 _Bonaparte seemed to disagree, or rather, he was taken aback by Crowler's suggestion. "He can't be the face of our school! He's a Slifer Red, for Pete's sake!"_

 _Wagging his finger, Crowler said, "Not for long! This duel will be his chance to return to glory! It's called marketing! Look it up! You see, crowds will come rushing to see if Chazz still has what it takes!"_

* * *

Hearing the entire story behind this duel, Jaden and the others...were not impressed. However, Crowler seemed to think otherwise as he was proud of himself for brainstorming the idea in the first place.

"That's the most selfish, egotistical thing I've ever heard!" commented Alexis, more annoyed at Crowler than impressed.

Even Elize had to agree with Alexis on that one. "I...really doubt that plan's going to work, Chancellor Crowler."

"Oh? But we won't even know until we try!~" sang Crowler, causing the four to sweatdrop.

 **"Give a big Duel Academy welcome to our challenger!"** announced Bonaparte, presenting Reggie after finishing his introduction of Chazz while the crowd was still riled up and waiting for the duel to begin. **"He's our top-ranking freshman! So give it up for Mr. Reginald Van Howell III!"**

The entire audience cheered on for Reginald as he raised his arm and clenched his fist, air punching as he gave a triumphant pose that practically screamed his confidence and how he was going to win this.

Jaden and the others retreated to the sidelines to watch the duel. "That Reginald kid must be a good duelist!" commented Jaden. "It's his first year at this place, and he's already an Obelisk Blue!"

"No joke!" agreed Syrus, nodding his head. "He's just like Chazz! Well, before he became a has-been."

"Wait, we don't know even know him, so we shouldn't jump to conclusions like that!" said Elize, finding Syrus' comment to be rather rude.

 _'The whole school is a buzz!'_ thought Crowler, finding the first part of the plan to be successful. _'Now, all we need is for Chazz to win, and then his family's fame will make me the most powerful Chancellor of the prep school on Earth!'_

 **"Alright, you know the drill!"** spoke Bonaparte, finding that it was now time to commence the duel. **"No direct attacks from below the belt! But trash talk is encouraged!"**

Reggie was more than happy to oblige and take advantage of Bonaparte's offer. "Then, allow me to kick off the insults! You're a lousy, stuck-up snob! And no one here likes you!"

The sad thing is, that Reggie was technically correct, and even Chazz knew that, but he wasn't the bit fazed by his insults. "I'm waiting for the insults!" said Chazz, surprising Reggie. "Maybe you haven't picked up on this yet, little Reggie, but I do things my way! And I didn't come here to win any popularity contests!"

"Tell us something we don't know!" said Jaden sarcastically.

"Yeah, Chazz! I didn't take all those noogies and purple nurples as a sign of friendship!" Syrus said, holding a bit of a grudge against Chazz.

Chazz was definitely Elize's friend, no doubt about that, and the kind-hearted girl could never bring herself to truly hate Chazz. But that didn't mean she didn't like Chazz, as he had previously given her bumps to the head whenever he got made at her. And his punches hurt!

"Alright, let's get on with this!" said Chazz confidently. "Talk is cheap! And unlike you, I don't do cheap!"

 **"Now that the insults have been hurled, let's hurl some cards!"**

"SOUNDS GOOD! LET'S DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Reggie - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Chazz - 4000 LP**

Kicking things off first, Reggie drew his card. "I'll start by summoning Marauding Captain in Attack Mode!"

Marauding Captain - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/400)

"Now, Marauding Captain's effect activates! When I Normal Summon him on the field, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Monster from my hand! I Special Summon Warrior Lady of the Wasteland!"

Warrior Lady of the Wasteland - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1100/1200)

Unimpressed, Chazz asked, "Can I yawn yet? Or do you have some more lame cards? Please tell me you're done."

"Not by a long shot, Chazzy!" said Reggie. "Check this out! I equip my Jewel Sword to Marauding Captain, raising his Attack Points by 300!"

Marauding Captain - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1500/400)

"But that's not my only upgrade! Next, I'll boost my Warrior Lady with Divine Sword- Phoenix Blade, giving her a 300 power boost as well!"

Warrior Lady of the Wasteland - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1200)

"Not bad! He's really giving Chazz a run for his money, guys!" spoke Syrus, impressed.

"Yeah! And Chazz has a ton of cash!" added Jaden.

"I'll set a card and call it a turn!" finished Reggie. "Now, looks like you're up, Chazz-ball! Think you have what it takes? Rumor has it you own the best deck money could buy! Now, let's see if it was worth it! So, what's the problem? Afraid all this time as a Slifer made you into a slacker? That black getup doesn't fool me! You're a redcoat, Chazzy!"

Annoyed, Chazz allowed him to finish before drawing his card, unamused. "Do you ever shut up? This should help! I summon X-Head Cannon!"

X-Head Cannon - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV4 - (1800/1500)

"Now, try this on for size! I play my Graceful Charity Spell card! This lets me draw three new cards as long as I ditch two! I'll start by ditching my Chthonian Polymer Trap card! Then, I'll dump Ojamagic!"

"Say what?! Ojama who?!" exclaimed Reggie, trying to register everything into his mind.

Chazz said, "Am I going too fast, Reggie? Let me dumb things down for you! Ojamagic! It adds Ojama Black, Green, and Yellow to my hand!"

 _ **"Where's the party at?!"**_ cried out the three Ojama brothers, happy to see their own owner putting their cards to good use.

Floating near Chazz's ear, Ojama Yellow danced around a bit before asking excitedly, _**"Can I attack Boss? Can I, please?!"**_

It was taking every fiber within Chazz not to smack Ojama Yellow, who was invisible to everyone but Jaden and Elize, and embarrass himself in front of the audience. He decided to punish the little yellow rascal later.

"I don't get it! Why would you play three total wimps?" wondered Reggie. Being born in a high society where they look down on the weak, Reggie couldn't fandom the idea of an elite like Chazz using trash cards.

"This is why! Never underestimate the power of the Chazz!" shouted Chazz. "Now read it and weep! I play the Spell card, Ojama Ride, and from the stunned look on your face, I'm guessing that you understand what's happening next! I can Special Summon up to three Level 4 or lower Machine-Type Union Monsters from my deck in Defense Mode so long as I scrap these three little freaks!"

Shocked by this new revelation, the Ojama brothers cried out in mercy, _**"Say it ain't so!"**_ Unfortunately, Chazz ignored their pleas and didn't hesitate to send the three of them packing into his Graveyard.

"Who's the slacker now, Reggie?!" said Chazz. "Here's a hint! He's a prep-school pipsqueak, and he's in way over his dorky haircut!"

"...Is it you?"

"No, it's you!" Groaning, Chazz decided to resume his turn. "Oh, just watch! I Special Summon Y-Dragon Head and Z-Metal Tank!"

Y-Dragon Head - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

Z-Metal Tank - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV4 - (1500/1300)

"And that means I can combine X,Y, and Z to form XYZ Dragon Cannon!"

Disassembling their machine parts, the three Monsters hovered in the air before their machine parts combined together to make a very effective and more powerful Monster just from their own combination.

XYZ Dragon Cannon - (LIGHT/Machine/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2600)

Taken aback, Reggie cried, "This is bad!"

"Perceptive!" said Chazz sarcastically before holding up two cards. "And it's gonna get worse when I activate his special ability! By discarding as many cards on the field, I can destroy that many cards on your side of the field! I discard these two cards to destroy the two Monsters you have out on the field! Oh well, there goes your defense! Dragon Cannon, direct attack!"

Now that Reggie was utterly defenseless, XYZ Dragon Cannon rotated his tank cannon and charged up its full firepower before unleashing two cannons full of power at Reggie.

 **Reggie - 1200 LP**

 **Chazz - 4000 LP**

"Still think you have a shot?" challenged Chazz. With XYZ Dragon Cannon out, Reggie's chance of defeating him has now dramatically decreased.

"You're going to be sorry you did that to me," growled Reggie, shaking a bit in anger. "Because my Jewel Sword was sent to the Graveyard, I get to draw one new card!"

Chazz thought there should have been a far more impressive ability than that. "You've got me shaking in my boots. I end my turn!"

"This obnoxious rich kid isn't half-bad," complimented Bonaparte, impressed by Reggie's playing style.

"You sound surprised, Bonaparte," said Crowler, sitting right next to his Vice-Chancellor. "You should really have more faith in me. There's a reason they promoted me to Chancellor!"

"Yeah, 'cause everyone else turned the job down," reminded Bonaparte, chuckling.

Bonaparte could laugh all he want for the time being, but when the time comes for Crowler to shine, he'll have the last laugh.

"Let me show you how it's done!" said Reggie, drawing his card. "I activate a personal favorite of mine called Pot of Greed! Now, I draw two more cards!"

"Stalling for time won't work, kid!" called out Chazz as Reggie glanced at the two new cards he just drew.

"Does this look like stalling to you?" Reggie called back, activating his Trap card. "I reveal my Trap card, Call of the Haunted, which brings back a Monster from the Graveyard in Attack Mode! And I choose Warrior Lady of the Wasteland!"

Warrior Lady of the Wasteland - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1100/1200)

"And now, since I'm the kind of guy who likes to take care of his peeps, I'm equipping her with Great Sword, which increases her Attack Points by 300!"

Warrior Lady of the Wasteland - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1200)

"Well, that was pointless," scoffed Chazz. "It's simple math! You only raised her by 300! She still doesn't come close to my Dragon Cannon!"

"That's exactly why I plan to sacrifice her! You see, Great Sword doesn't just grant her an Attack Point boost, but it can be treated as 2 Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a Warrior-Type Monster!" explained Reggie. "So, I sacrifice her to bring out a little card called Gilford the Legend!"

Upon hearing the name of one of the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters, Chazz was shocked. "You're kidding!"

"Does this look like a joke? Come out, Gilford the Legend!"

Gilford the Legend - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV8 - (2600/2000)

"What a sweet move!" said Jaden.

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, this freshman really knows his stuff. And with that nasty attitude, he's like a mini-Chazz!"

"Ew!"

"Now, that's a scary thought," commented Syrus.

"I just hope Chazz will be okay," said Elize, more concerned about Chazz's safety than the comparison with Chazz and Reggie.

"Check this out! It's time for Gilford to really strut this stuff!" continued Reggie. "Because he was Normal Summoned, thanks to his special ability, I can equip as many Equip Spell cards from my Graveyard as possible to every Warrior-Type Monster on my field! First, I equip him with Divine Sword - Phoenix Blade!"

Gilford the Legend - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV8 - (2900/2000)

"And then, Jewel Sword!"

Gilford the Legend - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV8 - (3200/2000)

"Next up, Grade Sword!"

Gilford the Legend - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV8 - (3500/2000)

"How do you like my math now? Well, there's more! I play my Wicked- Breaking Flamberge - Baou Spell card! Now, all I have to do is send one card to my Graveyard, and Gilford gets 500 Points even stronger!"

Gilford the Legend - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV8 - (4000/2000)

"That sword needs its own zip code!" cried out Syrus.

"I know! Get a load of Chazz!" said Jaden, seeing the duelist paralyzed with fear at seeing Gilford's large strength and gigantic equipped sword. "He's buggin' out!"

"A 22-foot flaming sword will do that to a guy!"

"If you think this sword looks scary, watch what it can do!" said Reggie. "Gilford, attack XYZ Dragon Cannon!"

Raising his enlarged blade above his head, Gilford placed all of his strength into bringing it downwards, slashing XYZ Dragon Cannon as though it was nothing but a hunk of junk.

 **Reggie - 1200 LP**

 **Chazz - 2800 LP**

"You're defenseless! There's nothing you can do, so I end my turn!

Chuckling, Chazz faced Reggie with his confident smirk. "You may think so, but the Chazz always has a plan! So, I draw and play Pot of Greed, and it allows me to draw two cards! Well, what do you know? It's Ojamandala!"

Taken aback, Reggie groaned, "Oh...Don't even tell me...!"

"I give up 1000 Life Points to bring back three idiotic morons in Defense Mode!"

Ojama Yellow - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Black - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Green - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

 **Reggie - 1200 LP**

 **Chazz - 1800 LP**

 _ **"It's good to be back, folks!"**_ The Ojama brothers proclaimed.

"These three misfits may not look like much, but they're about to take you down!" Chazz declared. "Time to rough him up, boys! I activate the Spell, Ojama Delta Hurricane, and as long as these idiots are on the field, all cards on your field are automatically destroyed! Now, go!"

 _ **"Sure, Boss!"**_

The three of them sprung into action, rubbing their butts together before spinning around in unison; their rotation increasing and spinning into a tornado that surrounded Gilford before destroying him in an explosion.

"The strongest Monster in my deck!" cried out Reggie, falling to his knees. "Destroyed by dweebs...in undies."

"They may seem like a bunch of wimps, but these three mutants can be pretty vicious," admitted Chazz as his Ojamas returned to his field in their defensive positions. "Especially when they're used with Ojama Delta Hurricane!"

Gritting his teeth, Reggie stood back up, knowing he still had a fighting chance. After all, all Chazz has got are three weaklings with no Attack Points, and although Reggie had no Monsters now, he could still make a comeback next turn.

"Oh yeah? Well, you activated the effect of my Jewel Sword, which lets me draw one card after it's sent to the Graveyard!"

"I'll lay this facedown and put you out of your misery," said Chazz, finishing his turn.

"Wait, lemme guess!" said Reggie, still irritated that his Gilford was taken out by weaklings. "That's another lame Ojama card, right?"

Knowing he was pissing off Reggie, Chazz decided to amuse him for his own entertainment. "Why do you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know! Maybe because you built your entire deck out of those three stooges! I've had it! Those freaks made a fool out of me for the last time!"

There it is, the temper Chazz was waiting for. The temper that Chazz used to have a year ago and still would be if it weren't for past events and experiences that led him to be who he is today.

Smirking, Chazz challenged, "You're right, kid. Why let them make a fool out of you when you do such a great job making a fool out of yourself?"

Tired of his constant mocking, Reggie tiredly said, "Whatever! You're just a second-rate duelist with a third-rate deck! Now watch and learn! Ya see this? It's called a real card called Premature Burial! And once I pay 800 Life Points, a Monster comes back from my Graveyard, and I choose my Armed Samurai - Ben Kei in Attack Mode!"

Armed Samurai - Ben Kei - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (500/800)

 **Reggie - 400 LP**

 **Chazz - 1800 LP**

"But, wait! I'm not done! Using the effect of Divine Sword - Phoenix Blade, I remove from play Marauding Captain and Warrior Lady of the Wasteland to take back Divine Sword to my hand! Now, I equip Divine Sword - Phoenix Blade and Lightning Blade and give 'em to Samurai Ben Kei!"

Armed Samurai - Ben Kei - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/800)

"Now, attack! Destroy that yellow pipsqueak!"

Targeting Ojama Yellow, Ben Kei slashed Ojama Yellow with his enhanced sword, proving no mercy to any of his attacks.

"You're not in the clear yet! Not by a long shot, Chazz! My Samurai gains an extra attack for each card he's equipped with!"

"So, if he already equipped two Spell cards, does that mean Armed Samurai - Ben Kei gets two more attacks?" wondered Elize.

Jaden shook his head. "Do the math. Reggie gets three more attacks. And Chazz only has two more Monsters! ...No, seriously, do the math for me."

"...The third attack is a direct attack, Jaden."

"Ohhhhh...Yeah, Chazz's screwed."

"One!" Reggie began the countdown, watching his Monster take down Ojama Black. "Two!" Now Reggie destroyed the last line of defense Chazz had to provide.

Glancing at his facedown card, Chazz thought, _'Decision time! If I activate my Trap card now, I can block his direct attack, but I'll lose one of my Ojamas! Oh, well. No pain, no gain!'_

"STRIKE THREE, YOU'RE OUT!"

With that said, Ben Kei gave a heavy slash at Chazz, who was knocked around in the air before crashing to the platform.

 **Reggie - 400 LP**

 **Chazz - 200 LP**

"Aww, what's wrong? You miss your little friends?" taunted Reggie. "Loogey, Mucus, and Snot-Ball?"

"They're...not my friends!" corrected Chazz, standing back up. "But I'll bring them back anyways with my Ojama Delta Wear Trap card since they were destroyed in battle!"

 _ **"I think ya missed us!~"**_ said the Ojama trio happily with tears of joy raining down their eyes.

Ojama Yellow - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Black - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

Ojama Green - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)

 _ **"I think I'm getting verklempt!"**_ sobbed Ojama Black.

 _ **"He likes us! He really likes us!"**_ cried out Ojama Green.

 _ **"Oh, happy day!"**_ said Ojama Yellow, being the happiest of them all.

"I end my turn! And look, Team Pathetic is reunited!" Reggie said. "And guess who the biggest loser of them all is?"

Narrowing his eyes, Chazz sarcastically spoke, "I'm sure you're about to tell me."

"It's you! And you'll never be a Blue again! How's it feel to be a 'Slifer Lifer?'"

"You know, I used to be just like you," revealed Chazz. "An elitist snob who looked down on everyone around me! But I've changed! Know how? Now I'm a snob who only looks down on some people! Anyways, there's a lesson in there! I'm...just not sure where. Now, I activate Polymerization and merge my Ojamas together to form Ojama King!"

With the three Ojamas entering the swirling, colorful vortex that possessed mystic powers, their leader, Ojama King, appeared on the field. Seeing Ojama King's...appearance, Alexis covered Elize's eyes.

"Alexis! I wanted to see what's going on!"

"Trust me, you don't want to know."

"But I already know what h-"

"Elize, just...trust me on this."

Ojama King - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV6 - (0/3000)

"Dude, your king has no points!" pointed out Reggie.

"Gee, thanks," thanked Chazz sarcastically. "It's a good thing he won't be here much longer, 'cause I'm activating this! Mega Ojama King Transformation! I sacrifice my original Ojama King to Special Summon Mecha Ojama King!"

The only difference between the original and the Mecha Ojama King was the fact that Mecha Ojama King was more mechanical-looking.

Mecha Ojama King - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV6 - (0/3000)

"But that doesn't make any-"

"Yeah, I know!" interrupted Chazz. "You're wondering why my Mecha Ojama King doesn't have any Attack Points, either. What he does have is a handy special ability that lets me Special Summon one Ojamachine once per turn! So I Special Summon Ojamachine Yellow!"

Ojamachine Yellow - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV3 - (0/100)

"Did I forget to mention this little geek-bot has a little party trick of his own? When he's summoned, I get to Special Summon as many Ojamachine Yellow Tokens as possible!"

Ojamachine Yellow Tokens - (LIGHT/Machine/Token) - LV3 - (0/100) X3

"Attack, Ojamachines!"

Seeing the Ojamachines hopping towards his Samurai like frogs was ridiculous in Reggie's eyes. "This is insane! My Samurai has 1600 Attack Points! Your toads have zero!"

"Actually, it's the opposite!" said Chazz, knowing victory was his. "You see, when a Ojamachine is destroyed, I don't take any damage, but you lose 300 Life Points instead for each one destroyed."

It didn't take much for Reggie to calculate the math, and seeing the disbelieved expression on his face was priceless.

The Armed Samurai couldn't stop the Ojamachines from self-destructing upon coming in contact with him, resulting in Reggie's utter defeat as he fell to his knees, stunned.

 **Reggie - 0 LP**

 **Chazz - 200 LP**

 **Winner: Chazz**

"It looks like slummin' it with the Slifers hasn't hurt my game!" commented Chazz loudly and proudly for everyone to hear him. "Maybe now you'll see that the color of your coat doesn't mean squat! 'Cause an Obelisk Blue, who's supposed to be the best of the best, just got schooled by a Slifer Red! Face it, kid! Whether we're wearing yellow, blue, red, or polka dots, you'll always be the same loser, and I'll always be The Chazz!"

Inspired and encouraged by how Chazz defended their dorm, the Slifer Red hollered out Chazz's catchphrase, including Chazz's friends and even Crowler himself. "CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP!"

"Way to win one for the Reds!" said Jaden, running up to Chazz and hugging him from behind. "I always knew you were one of us! Come here!"

"B-back off! I never said that!"

The rest of the Slifer Red members got off the sidelines and ran up to the dueling platform where Chazz was, picking him up and swinging him up to the air, despite his loud comments to be put down on the ground instantly.

"Yeah, way to go, Chazz!"

"He did it!"

"Yeah!"

"Slifer! Slifer! Slifer!"

"Hey! Lemme go! I'm not one of you! Are you even listening?!"

"Didn't see this coming," said Crowler as he and Bonaparte walked up as well. "But if he wants to be a slacker, who am I to stop him?" Taking up the microphone as Jaden, Syrus, and Elize caught Chazz, Crowler proudly announced, **"Attention, please! There's been a change of plans! Chazz Princeton shall remain in Slifer Red!"**

"CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP!"

Chazz blinked. "But, I don't want-"

"There's no need to thank me! I'm just doing my job!"

Sighing, Bonaparte shook his head. "At this rate, it won't be your job for very much longer."

* * *

 _Later, that day..._

"WHAT?! DID YOU JUST SAY, 'TEAR DOWN THE SLIFER DORM?!" screamed Jaden, aghast. He and Elize was called by Syrus to meet up in Jaden and Syrus' own room because he had something urgent to talk about.

While Syrus was taking a walk, he overheard Crowler and Bonaparte saying that the whole duel was set up to make Chazz into a star, so that when he left the Slifer Red dorms, they would have the chance to tear down the weak Slifer Red Dorms.

"Are you sure that's what they said?" wondered Elize.

Syrus nodded. "They want to get rid of us. I'm telling ya, I saw this in a movie once. These guys in dark suits show up, then they tell us that we're going to be sleeping with the fishes, and no one hears from us again!"

As if on perfect timing, the entire dorm started rumbling like an earthquake, causing the three of them to panic. They may as well escape with their lives if the dorm was shaking and getting ready to collapse at any second.

In reality, Chazz had just arranged a sort of additional building to be installed with the Slifer Red, deeming it as his own personal room. If he was staying as a Slifer Red, he might as well become comfortable.

"Run for it, Chazz!" cried out Jaden as he and his two friends barged outside, frailing their arms around.

"They're here!" shouted Syrus.

"What are you dorks talking about?" wondered Chazz. "These guys are building a private room onto this dump! I figured that if I was going to be stuck in this place, I might as well be living in style!"

Elize sighed in relief. "Well, that's good, I guess." But that doesn't cease any of her worries. What if Syrus was telling the truth? Could Crowler and Bonaparte truly be planning to dispose the Slifer Red Dorms?

* * *

 **Finished and tired! Basically, this is a Chazz episode, so not much coming from Elize, but oh well! Read and review!**


	33. Blooming Start

**Just to let you guys know, I'm gonna skip Hassleberry and the Syrus character development episode since it doesn't show too much importance in this story. If you really wanna know more about them, check out my Gender Generation fanfic for more details!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"How'd we get into this situation?"

"To be honest, Alexis, I kinda don't wanna be here anymore than you right now."

A lot has happened ever since the start of the second year that Elize could barely keep track of anymore. It all started with Aster Phoenix being a new student in Duel Academy, thus raising its popularity with the young Pro Duelist attending their school. Then, there was her new friend Hassleberry, who's a Ra Yellow freshman, as well as the one living in Jaden's barracks, now taking up the spot where Chumlet used to sleep.

Of course, she couldn't forget Syrus' promotion duel against an Obelisk Blue girl, thus ranking him up to Ra Yellow. Even though he was officially a Ra Yellow, he still decided to stay at the Red dorms. Oh, and Chazz had a new home renovated and rebuilt for him to suit his rich tastes and style, which Alexis was now staying in with Chazz because she refused to go back to Obelisk Blue dorms thanks to Crowler and his idol idea influence for her.

Speaking of Crowler, he was the new Chancellor, at least until Sheppard came back from his trip. Not only that, but a petite French man named Bonaparte served as the Vice-Chancellor, making double trouble for the students on campus as they enlisted some new, strict rules and were trying to tear down the Slifer Red dorm by attempting to promote Slifer Red students up in rank as well as increase the popularity of Duel Academia by hosting promotion duels.

And now came that time of the year again...the all-girls event, the Miss Duel Academy contest.

Obviously, Crowler and Bonaparte would take the opportunity to promote the two top best girls who got the most votes to duel each other in front of the entire school. After all, who doesn't love a good catfight?

In the voting poll, Alexis was placed in 1st place, while Elize was in 2nd place, so naturally, the two best friends were chosen and forced to duel each other in the Duel Arena, as there were different sides cheering them on.

Naturally, Alexis was voted as Miss Duel Academy because of being the toughest female Obelisk Blue student on campus, as well as being known for her kindness and beauty. As for Elize, she was only popular through her actions from last year, with dealing with the Shadow Riders, Kagemaru, and even that pre-duel with Jaden before he won and faced off against Zane. Not only that, but she was the only Slifer Red female student and pretty cute.

Cuteness vs beauty; a tough decision to make, especially since both were about to duel one another.

 **"Welcome students to a battle between two beautiful young ladies!"** announced Crowler, much to Elize and Alexis' annoyances. **"We're gathered here today for the annual Miss Duel Academy event that only comes once per year! Now, presenting our contestants! She's cute and quite the...'charmer!' Elize Simington!"**

Although she disliked being part of the attention, Elize still had to be respectful for all the hard work that was set up as she waved at the audience nervously, causing them to cheer and applaud for her.

 **"And next, we have the beautiful, Obelisk Blue Queen, Alexis Rhodes herself! She's beautiful, she's strong, she's the winner of the Miss Duel Academy contest! And now, to prove her strength, she's going to be facing off against Elize!"**

Alexis groaned as the crowd howled and hooted for her, knowing full well that a good majority of the audience were perverts. She didn't even want to be part of the Miss Duel Academy contest! Seriously, why was that even a thing?! And why did Chancellor Sheppard even approve such a thing in the first thing?!

 **"Here are the stakes of the duel! If Elize wins, then she gets to move up to Ra Yellow for her reward and Alexis is forced to live in her own dorm instead of the Slifers! But if Alexis wins, she's still Miss Duel Academy's winner and can choose to live where she likes!"**

"What?!" cried out Alexis and Elize in unison.

Elize looked over at Alexis. Sure, getting into Ra Yellow after winning this duel not only meant that she was growing process in being a strong duelist, but that she also surpassed Alexis, who was the strongest female duelist she knew. But, that would also mean Alexis had to live back to her old dorm, and Crowler and Bonaparte are one step closer to demolishing the Slifer Red dorms.

Alexis stared at Elize with a concerned expression. Of course she would like Elize to be promoted, but she certainly didn't want to go back to her old dorms, where there are still a lot of snobby, bragging Obelisk Blue students and Crowler to top it off. Plus, Crowler and Bonaparte would take this chance to find a reason to demolish the Red dorm! What to do...

"Hey, guys!" called out Jaden. "Don't worry about it! Just duel to your heart's content! Dueling's all about having fun, remember?"

Those simple words were enough to snap the two girls out of it as they looked at each other and nodded. Yeah, right now, the stakes don't matter. This was just two friendly rivals about to duke it out in a duel with no distractions.

"Let's do this, Elize!"

"Okay! I'm ready, Alexis!"

 **"Annnnddddd...start!"**

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Alexis - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

"I'll start!" said Alexis. "I set a card facedown and activate the Spell, Terraforming! This lets me add 1 Field Spell card from my deck to my hand! I choose Ritual Sanctuary and activate it!"

The entire field transformed into the inside of a chapel where it was all colored white with a red, velvet rug laid out and leading to the center of the chapel, where there was a table with candles.

"By discarding a Spell card, I can add 1 Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand! I'll add Machine Angel Ritual to my hand! Then, I summon Cyber Petit Angel to the field!"

Cyber Petit Angel - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV2 - (300/200)

"If this Angel's summoned, I can add a Cyber Angel Monster or Machine Angel Ritual card from my deck to my hand! I send Cyber Angel Idaten and Cyber Petit Angel to the Graveyard in order to activate Machine Angel Ritual and Ritual Summon the Level 8 Cyber Angel Dakini!"

With the Levels added up, both Monsters disappeared before a bright light flashed onto the field, Twirling her lance and two shamshir blades with her four arms, a female warrior with blue skin appeared, ready for combat.

Cyber Angel Dakini - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV8 - (2700/2400)

"I end my turn!"

"Whoa, she's starting off with something strong! She's not holding back!" commented Jaden from the sidelines.

Bastion nodded. "Of course. She's facing off against Elize, someone who helped you defeat Kagemaru and was chosen as someone who could defeat Zane. If she's grown even stronger during the summer, then even Alexis should know not to underestimate her."

"Oh, yeah. When you put it that way, I guess both Elize and Alexis have gotten more tougher. Which makes me more excited to duel them more!"

"My turn!" said Elize. "I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to blow away and destroy your Doble Passe!"

Alexis gasped. "How did you know that my facedown was Doble Passe?"

"We've both known each other, so of course I know Doble Passe would be included them just in case I came up with something to destroy your Monster!" said Elize before awkwardly scratching her cheek. "S-sorry...I was only trying to sound confident. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings!"

Though surprised, Alexis knew she meant no offense and shook her head. "No, no. You're alright. Still, it was pretty impressive of you to be so cautious like that."

"Thank you, Alexis! Now, back to the duel! I activate a Ritual Spell known as Doriado's Blessing! I sacrifice Eria the Water Charmer in order to Ritual Summon Elemental Mistress Doriado in Defense Mode!"

Unlike the battle ready Dakini, Doriado appeared to be a kindred and gentle-looking woman as she was kneeling and praying even to her foes.

Elemental Mistress Doriado - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (1200/1400)

"I equip the Equip Spell, Heart of Clear Water, to Doriado, meaning she can't be destroyed by battle or by card effects! I set a card and end my turn!"

"Not much she can do, since Alexis has got some fighting advantage," muttered Jaden.

"Yes, but now they're at a standstill," said Bastion. "One focuses on defense while the other is focused on offense. Now how will they proceed?"

"It's my turn!" Alexis said, drawing her card. "I attack with Dakini!"

"But why? My Monster won't be destroyed thanks to her Equip Spell!" reminded Elize.

"That's true, but Dakini has a special ability! She can inflict piercing damage even if your Monster is in Defense Mode!"

Dakini twisted her arms around to twirl her weapons before slamming the blunt ends of her weapons onto Doriado, creating a shockwave that affected not only her, but Elize as well as they both winched in pain.

 **Alexis - 4000 LP**

 **Elize - 2500 LP**

"I end my turn!"

"My turn!" Looking at her cards, Elize knew what to do. "I play Card of Sanctity, meaning we both get to draw until we have six cards each! Then, I sacrifice Doriado to summon Blizzard Princess! And I can Tribute Summon her by sacrificing 1 Spellcaster-Type Monster thanks to her effect!"

Blizzard Princess - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV8 - (2800/2100)

"Please attack, Blizzard Princess!"

Swinging her ice mace, Blizzard Princess slammed the ice jewel-like mace at Dakini, taking her out by knocking her back.

 **Alexis - 3900 LP**

 **Elize - 2500 LP**

"Well, that wasn't much damage, but she did defeat Alexis' Ritual Monster, which is good," commented Bastion.

"That was a good move, Elize, but I still haven't pulled out my true strength!" shouted Alexis.

Elize nodded, ready to take on anything Alexis had to offer. "Okay! Then, please show me! I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Alexis, determined to show off her own line of defense. "From my hand, I activate the Spell, Machine Angel Absolute Ritual! Then, from my hand, I sacrifice the Level 5 Cyber Tutubon and Ritual Summon! Descend now, Cyber Angel Natasha! In Defense Mode!"

Cyber Tutubon twirled around until she was nothing more than a pink cyclone that surrounded the field. Once the cyclone dispersed, a female masked and armored centaur galloped onto the field.

Cyber Angel Natasha - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV5 - (1000/1000)

"That's not all! When Cyber Tutubon is Tributed for a Ritual Summon, I can add one Ritual Spell from my Graveyard to my hand! I'll add Machine Angel Absolute Ritual back to my hand!"

"Hey, I have a question," spoke up Elize. "Isn't that card similar to Machine Angel Ritual? What's the difference?"

"Good question," praised Alexis. "Most Ritual Spells require the Tributes to be on the field or from the hand. It's the same for Machine Angel Absolute Ritual. However, this card has an additional effect! I can shuffle Fairy or Warrior-Type Monsters from my Graveyard and back into my deck, making them act like the catalysts for Ritual Summoning! This way, I can shuffle Cyber Tutubon back into my deck and then Ritual Summon again! I Ritual Summon another Cyber Angel Natasha in Defense Mode!"

Cyber Angel Natasha - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV5 - (1000/1000) X2

"Oh! That's a neat trick! Thank you for telling me, Alexis!"

Alexis smiled. "No problem. But anyways, back to the duel! I activate Cyber Angel Natasha's effect! Once per turn, I can target a Monster I control and gain Life Points equal to half of that targeted Monster's Attack Points. I'll select both of my Natasha's effects and gain 500 Life Points from each!"

 **Alexis - 4900 LP**

 **Elize - 2500 LP**

"I end my turn with that!"

"Looks like their roles have switched," commented Bastion.

"What do you mean by that, Bastion?" wondered Syrus.

"Exactly what I mean. You know Elize focuses on defense, while Alexis has some average attack power in her deck. Now Alexis is the one being cornered by Elize."

"Hey, you're right!" said Jaden. "Though, I'm sure that one of Alexis' Monsters aren't going to survive in Elize's next turn."

"I wonder..." muttered Bastion suspiciously. "Alexis must have added two Ritual Monsters on her field not just for additional defense or more Life Point boost-ups...She must have a plan."

"Awww, just quit thinking like that! It makes my brain hurt!" complained Hassleberry, clutching both sides of his head. "Look, let's just enjoy the duel, okay?"

"Yes...I suppose you're right."

"My turn!" Elize said. "I set a Monster facedown and then activate Polymerization! I fuse Storming Wynn and Blazing Hiita from my hand to Fusion Summon Shandra the Sand Charmer!"

A tornado of sand along with flickers of flames burst onto the field before vanishing, leaving behind a beautiful female Spellcaster with red hair with a tint of green wearing a tan cloaks while wielding a twisted-looking longsword.

Shandra the Sand Charmer - (WIND/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2400/1000)

"I attack! Shandra, please attack the first Natasha! Blizzard Princess, please attack the other!"

Both female Spellcaster-Types unleashed their elemental attacks, merging their ice and tornado flare long-ranged powers to strike down both Cyber Angel Natashas. However, both Ritual Monsters clasped their hands together as an aura of light protected their bodies from any harm.

"Sorry, but I already activated both my Ritual Monsters' special abilities!" explained Alexis. "You see, when a Ritual Monster I control is targeted for an attack, I can have Natasha negate that attack, so I used both of them to protect each other!"

"So that's why she summoned the two of them! Nice one!" commented Chazz.

"Whoa, that's pretty good, Alexis!" complimented Elize. "Hmm...nothing else I can do but to set a card and end my turn!" _'Wow, Alexis must have seriously been working on her defensive skills, but my Monsters are stronger now when it comes to offensive! I don't think she'll summon a Monster in Attack Mode anytime soon!'_

"Alright, then I draw!" Alexis stared at her card, pondering what to do. _'With the way my Monsters are right now, I can't attack. All I can do now is heal and defend. But even so, I'm worried about her set Monster. If I was a guessing girl, I'd say that her set Monster is Lyna, the Light Charmer. She always puts her most highest defensive Monsters facedown to throw the enemy off guard. If I'm right, then she knows that most of my Monsters are Light Attribute, and if she manages to take control of one of my Natashas, then I'll be left with one Monster and unable to defend myself once my Monster is destroyed.'_

 _'Alexis must be in a predicament to take so long strategizing,'_ thought Elize. _'I think she knows my set Monster is Lyna. If she can't come up with a countermeasure this turn, then I'll use Lyna's effect to take control of one of her Ritual Monsters. Her Monster's Defense Points aren't that high, which means I have a chance once she's destroyed! I might have a winning chance!'_

"Oh, wait! I have an idea!" gasped Alexis. "I summon Senju of the Thousand Hands to the field!"

Senju of the Hundred Hands - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV4 - (1400/1000)

"When he's Normal Summoned, I can add a Ritual Monster from my deck to my hand! I choose Cyber Angel Benten! Then, I activate the Ritual Spell card, Machine Angel Ritual by sacrificing Senju of the Hundred Hands and the Shining Angel from my hand! I Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Benten!"

An Asian fan-wielding female warrior sprung onto the field, showing off a bit of her traditional dancing and fighting skills.

Cyber Angel Benten - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV6 - (1800/1500)

"Now, Cyber Angel Benten! Attack her set Monster!"

Jumping into the air, Cyber Angel Benten twirled around as she descended downwards onto the set Monster, kicking the card aside as it revealed to be exactly what Alexis predicted the Monster would be; Lyna the Light Charmer.

Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

Just before Lyna was destroyed, Elize cried out, "I activate the Trap, Gift of the Mystical Elf! For every Monster on the field, I gain 300 Life Points! There are 6!"

 **Alexis - 4900 LP**

 **Elize - 4300 LP**

"It won't matter! Cyber Angel Benten's effect activates!" shouted Alexis. "If she destroys a Monster by battle, you receive damage equal to your destroyed Monster's original Defense Points!"

"Lyna had 1500 Defense Points...so I lose 1500!"

 **Alexis - 4900 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"Now I activate both the effects of my Cyber Angel Natashas! But this time, I'm allowing both of them to choose Benten's Attack Points and then receiving half of her Attack Points as Life Points! Benten's Attack Points are 1800, so dividing that would make 900 for each, so I receive 1800 Life Points!"

 **Alexis - 6700 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"I end my turn with that!" decided Alexis.

"Almost back to where she started, huh?" muttered Jaden.

"I'm not done yet!" said Elize. "I've still got more and more strategies I can play! My turn, draw! I set one card and summon Magician's Valkyria in Defense Mode!"

Magician's Valkyria - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1600/1800)

"And as long as Magician's Valkyria is on the field, you can't attack anymore Spellcaster-Types until you defeat her!"

"And since Magician's Valkyria's Defense Points are the same as Cyber Angel Benten's Attack Points, there's not much Alexis can do," added Chazz.

"I end my turn!"

"My turn!" said Alexis. "I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two new cards! Then, I activate the effects of both my Natashas' healing ability and target Benten again, allowing me to regain 1800 Life Points!"

 **Alexis - 8500 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"Now, I equip Cyber Angel Benten with the Equip Spell card, Ritual Weapon, granting her 1500 Attack Points!"

Cyber Angel Benten - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV6 - (3300/1500)

"Shoot down Magician's Valkyria, Benten!"

"Just what I was waiting for!" shouted Elize. "I activate the Trap, Zero Gravity! This forces all of our Monsters to change battle positions!"

"No!" cried out Alexis. _'Wait, even if my two Natashas are in Attack Mode, I can always use their abilities to negate attacks aiming for Ritual Monsters, so I'm still safe!'_ "Ok, fine! I end my turn!"

"My turn! Oh! A lucky card!" exclaimed Elize. "I activate Raigeki, destroying all of your Monsters!"

Dark clouds emerged above all of Alexis' Monsters before showering down a rain full of thunderbolts that electrocuted and destroyed her Monsters, leaving Alexis defenseless.

"I switch all of my Monsters back into Attack Mode! Everyone, please attack!"

At Elize's command, Shandra, Blizzard Princess, and Magician's Valkyria focused their magic together before firing three beams of light from their weapons, creating a massive explosion.

 **Alexis - 1700 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"Um...Are you okay, Alexis?" asked Elize, worried.

"Ugh..." Groaning, Alexis gripped her head with her hand as she stood up properly. "Yeah...I'm alright. Those blasts nearly wiped me out."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"You don't need to apologize. It's alright!"

"You know, if she had ended up with 4000 Life Points, I bet she would have lost right there and then!" commented Hassleberry.

"Well, if you're okay, then I guess I'll end my turn!" said Elize happily.

Alexis nodded. "My turn, draw! I activate the Spell, Pre-Preparation of Rites! Now I can add a Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand along with a Ritual Monster as well! Everything's set in motion! I activate Natasha's effect from the Graveyard and Special Summon her after banishing a Cyber Angel from my Graveyard. I banish Cyber Angel Benten from my Graveyard and Special Summon Cyber Angel Natasha!"

Cyber Angel Natasha - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV5 - (1000/1000)

"Following her effect, I can target a Monster you control and take control of it! I target Blizzard Princess and take control of her!"

Elize watched in shock as Blizzard Princess struggled as her own body forced her to head towards Alexis' field, as evident of the trembling of her body as she grimaced and grunted for control.

"I activate Cyber Angel Natasha's healing effect and target Blizzard Princess! Since her Attack Points are 2800, I get half and receive 1400 life Points!" explained Alexis.

 **Alexis - 3100 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"I now activate my second Natasha's effect from the Graveyard, but this time, I'm banishing Cyber Angel Dakini to Special Summon her and take control of Shandra the Sand Charmer!"

Cyber Angel Natasha - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV5 - (1000/1000) X2

Once again, Elize was helpless to do anything as she watched her second Monster being whisked away into the enemy's side forcibly.

"I activate the second Natasha's healing effect and then target Blizzard Princess, so I get 1400 more Life Points!"

 **Alexis - 4500 LP**

 **Elize - 2800 LP**

"Well, she's done for," said Chazz. "Alexis is definitely gonna win."

"Hey, don't say that!" shouted Syrus. "Have a bit more faith in your friends!"

"I am, and I'm saying that Elize is doomed."

"The preparations are now set!" said Alexis. "You know, I originally was planning to use my new Monster on Jaden to counterattack against his Fusion Monsters, but why not now?"

"What are you saying, Alexis?" wondered Elize.

"You'll see. Now, I activate the Spell card, Machine Angel Absolute Ritual from my hand! I sacrifice both my Level 5 Natashas to use for my Ritual Summoning! Ritual Summon! Angel of light with unparalleled power! Come forth to this dark world and shine your light upon all creation! Descend, Level 10! Cyber Angel Vrash!"

As if an angel fluttered onto the field from the heavens, a beautiful, powerful female angel-like Monster descended down with her bright aura illuminating the field.

Cyber Angel Vrash - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV10 - (3000/2000)

"Wow! So, this is your new, powerful Monster? She's so beautiful!" praised Elize, who was admiring her just like the rest of the audience.

Alexis nodded. "I got some new rare cards during the summer and trained extremely hard for them, so you know I'm ready for these sort of experiences! Now, time for battle! Get ready, Elize! I attack with Shandra! Destroy her Magician's Valkyria!"

Although Alexis wasn't technically her master, Shandra knew she must obliged to the commands of her current controller. Shooting an apologetic look at her friend, Shandra released a sandstorm that surrounded Magician's Valkyria and destroyed her.

 **Alexis - 4500 LP**

 **Elize - 2200 LP**

"And now, because I like you Elize, and I respect you as a duelist, I'm going to finish you off using my best Monster!" shouted Alexis. "Cyber Angel Vrash! Attack Elize directly!"

Sprouting wings of light from her back, Vrash sprung into action, flying high near the ceiling before blasting two beams of light from her wings, aiming directly for Elize.

 **Alexis - 4500 LP**

 **Elize - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Alexis**

 **"AND THERE WE HAVE IT! THE BEAUTIFUL OBELISK QUEEN IS NOW OUR WINNER!"** announced Crowler as the audience cheered and wooed for Alexis. **"She's now this year's Miss Duel Academy!"**

Jaden and his friends applauded as they knew both female duelists tried their best to the very end. "That was an awesome duel! We got to see so many of Alexis' new cards!" said Jaden.

"Yeah! Her Monsters were really pretty!" said Syrus.

"Yeah, I guess Elize did try her best," admitted Chazz.

"Whew! Remind me never to mess with Alexis!" Hassleberry said.

"Elize! Are you alright?" asked Alexis, running up to Elize. She placed her hands on her shoulders and checked for any injuries.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" assured Elize. "Still, you won! Congratulations!"

Alexis looked a bit sadden. "Yeah...sorry you didn't get to go to your promotion because of me."

"It's fine. I'm not really interested in Ra Yellow anyways. I like it in the Slifer Red dorm. Even if I won, I still would have stayed in Slifer Red anyways!"

"Well, you just keep improving, and soon, you'll be as strong as me."

"Yeah, alright!"

* * *

 **Finished! Yeah, I used some of Alexis' Arc V counterpart's cards, but I thought it was only appropriate to use them like that. Anyways, read and review!**


	34. A New Breed of a Hero

**Yay! Alright, we managed to get through with my Gender Generation's duel with Aster! Yeah, I guess that was a sad chapter, and Aster should know better than to make a poor girl cry!**

 **Anyways, yeah, Elize doesn't have a clean win record, but that's meant to happen as Elize is still young and growing and slowly receiving character growth! I don't wanna make her a Mary Sue by having her win all her duels, so I'll have her have a bit of an average win and loss record!**

 **That said, time for the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Witnessing Aster Phoenix's press conference right after his international duel with Zane still left Duel Academy shocked. Cameras flashed and the media surrounded Aster as he was being interviewed, using his communication skills and good charms that further increased his fan club.

In celebration of their former top student making it to the big leagues, everyone in Duel Academy gathered in one of the larger classrooms to witness his duel against world-famous prodigy, Aster Phoenix, only to lose miserably against his Hero deck; the same deck Jaden has.

 **"What an impressive win!"** spoke one female reporter, pointing the microphone to Aster's direction. **"What's your secret?"**

 **"Like I tell my fans,"** Aster began to brag. **"Winning duels is a piece of cake when destiny's got your back!"**

 **"Now, tell us about this new deck of yours!"**

 **"Well, there's a reason why I unveiled it today,"** explained Aster. **"See, last week I paid a visit to Duel Academy, and get this. There's a student out there who totally copied my deck!"**

"Huh?!" Seeing that Aster used a similar deck like his, Jaden had a pretty good guess as to whom Aster was referring to.

"Any idea who he's talking about?" questioned Hassleberry.

"Hassleberry, I think he's talking about Jaden," pointed out Elize. "He's the only one in Duel Academy who has an Elemental Hero deck."

 **"I guess I can't blame him,"** continued Aster. **"I mean, who wouldn't want to be just like me, right? But, before this wannabe took all of the credit, I had to reveal my deck. You see, this student...who shall remain nameless, has sort of a following among hardcore dueling fans. And the last thing I need is some prep-school punk taking the credit for my hard work."**

"Wait, is he insulting and blaming Jaden?" gasped Elize. "But he hasn't done anything wrong!"

"That settles it," decided Bastion, losing his respect for the young prodigy duelist. "I officially can't stand this bloke."

 **"Now, whether you like me or not, there's one fact that no one out there can dispute. I'm the best! I can't be beat! And to prove it, I'm challenging this schoolboy! I won't tell you his name, but I'll tell you that it rhymes with Shmaden Smuki!"**

"Shmaden Smuki...?" wondered Elize before figuring it out. "Oh! Jaden Yuki! ...I'm guessing that's really bad!"

Everyone gasped and looked at Jaden, who was supposedly the opponent Aster insulted on live television and the one the pro duelist wished to challenge.

 **"Hear me, Shmaden?! You know who you are, you card thief! You think your Aster rip-off deck is so great?! Prove it! By putting it up against my deck!"**

The press conference was starting to come to a close as the cameras broadcasted Aster leaving the scene, causing the screen to go blank before other news came on the huge screen.

The students burst into loud conversations, talking about the duel or about Aster' press conference. "Aster is coming here?!" exclaimed Crowler, excited. "What'll I wear?!"

Bonaparte was pleased to hear some good news at long last. "Hehehe! He'll beat the pantaloons off of Jaden! Which means...one less slacker getting in our way!"

"Jaden, are you really going to duel him?" wondered Elize. "He's a pro duelist, which means he's really strong!"

"Well, Jaden already beat him once," recalled Syrus.

"But now he's got his real deck," pointed out Alexis.

 _'This is just the challenge I've been looking for!'_ thought Jaden, thinking nothing else but the thrilling challenge of dueling Aster so soon. _'Time to get my rematch on!'_

* * *

 _That night..._

 _'Don't worry, Elize...you've got this!'_ thought Elize, walking around the cafeteria with a package, the cafeteria keys, and flashlight entrusted to her by Dorothy.

Dorothy forgot to place a final order of books in the school store, but she was worried because it was getting late and she needed to place the books on the shelf by tomorrow. Elize decided to do the kindhearted lady a favor and offered to go herself, even though Dorothy insisted that this was her problem and that it was growing late. After much persuasion, Dorothy finally agreed to let Elize go, entrusting her to deliver the package to the counter.

Because it was dark, Elize was a little scared, but was determined to see her task through. Receiving the cafeteria keys she obtained from Dorothy, she unlocked the cafeteria doors leading from outside and entered, flashing her flashlight around to see through the darkness. Spotting the school store, Elize made her way over to the counter and placed the package properly on top, succeeding in her task.

"Whew!" she sighed. Now, she can go back and report to Dorothy what happened so that she can relax in her room and get a good night's sleep!

At least, that's what she would have wanted, had she not accidentally bumped into a burglar.

The two glanced at each other before fear struck Elize's heart and she screamed, closing her eyes instinctively. Panicking, the burglar roughly shoved her to the ground, causing Elize to fall and drop her flashlight before he hurriedly made his escape, using the darkness as his cover.

 _ **"Elize! Elize! He's gone! Calm down!"**_ assured Wynn, sitting right next to the room.

Calming down, Elize sat up and grasped her flashlight, flickering it around until she noticed that the cards on the card shelves were missing! The burglar must have stolen them!

"We have to go after him! Or at least, call for help!' cried out Elize, rushing forward. In a physical fight, there was no way she'd win against an adult like him, and she was not going to confront someone as dangerous as him; that much, she can avoid danger. However, she should alert someone about this.

Rushing out of the entrance where she came from, Elize frantically searched around, flashing her flashlight in all directions in a hurry. Hurrying, Elize ran towards a different direction, towards the school entrance since it was nearby, hoping to gain access inside and call someone. She had left her duel disk and any form of technology with her in her dorm, so she couldn't call anyone.

Meanwhile, the burglar, who was forced into a duel, fell down as he had taken some damage to his Life Points, which were nearly depleted. Aster Phoenix, who was his opponent, chuckled. "I have a little saying. It goes: You just can't hide from destiny."

"No! Wait! GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Elize, who happen to be near the area, ran faster as she wished to know what was happening. If it just so happens that the burglar has a weapon, she'll run away as quickly as she could. She was a bit far, but she did see a figure standing over someone else, holding a deck.

"You want free cards? Then, take them," Aster said, tossing the deck all over the burglar's unconscious body. "They won't be much use to you... _in prison_."

Approaching the scene, Elize peered her eyes before the moonlight provided as a source of light other than her flashlight as she recognized the burglar on the ground. Standing over the burglar happened to be that Aster Phoenix guy who dueled and defeated Zane.

Pointing her flashlight at him, Aster noticed some sort of light coming from behind him and turned around, seeing a young girl wearing a red cap. "...Aster Phoenix?" spoke up Elize curiously.

Before he could so much as ask her a question, footsteps grew closer from the other direction as Jaden, Bastion, Syrus, Crowler, and Bonaparte arrived after hearing the burglar's screams.

"Halt! Who goes there!" called out Crowler.

"Aster Phoenix!" cried out Jaden.

"So I have icicles on my eyebrows for nothing?!" complained Bonaparte.

"I'm...here, too, actually," spoke up Elize, raising her hand and pointing her flashlight at herself, as though she was about to tell a scary story.

"Oh! You're here too, Elize!" said Syrus. "That's...a bit creepy."

"Sorry." Lowering her flashlight to her sides, Elize turned off the flashlight.

"Hey, who's that?" Syrus wondered, addressing to the fallen burglar.

"Some punk who thought that crime paid off," replied Aster, indicating that he was the one who punished the burglar as Syrus and Bastion ran past him to check on the man's condition. "Turns out he was wrong!"

"Whoa, it looks like you knocked him out cold," gasped Syrus, kneeling down besides the man's body.

"Should we call for Miss Fontaine?" wondered Elize, worried.

Glaring at Aster, Bastion grew mad. Even if the man stole something, that shouldn't give Aster any reason to harm him to this extent! "What have you done?!"

Ignoring Bastion, Aster focused on Jaden. "Jaden! It's been a while, huh?"

"Hey, Bastion asked you a question!" yelled Syrus, wanting answers.

"Yeah, now fuss up!" agreed Jaden, wondering why Aster would go this far.

Calmly, Aster told them, "Hey, save it for the duel."

"Bonjour, mister Phoenix!" welcomed Bonaparte as he and Aster walked up to him. "Welcome to our school! I'm Chancellor Bonaparte. And this here is my personal assistant."

"What?!" shrieked Crowler, shocked that Bonaparte would refer to him in such a way! He should be the superior on! After all the times they've been to-Well, they haven't really bonded that much, to be honest.

"Sorry, but I'm not supposed to be talking to management. All others goes to my agent," said Aster, walking past Bonaparte and Crowler. "Guys like me don't have time to deal with the little people."

Growling at being insulted and called little, Bonaparte wanted Aster a piece of his mind when Crowler stopped him. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we in charge here?"

"I'll see you bright and early tomorrow for our duel," assured Aster, bypassing Jaden. "By the way, other than your friends here, there are no spectators allowed.

"No spectators? But why?" asked Bastion.

"You see, I'm a pro. People pay money to watch me duel. There's no way I'm giving a free shoe to a bunch of amateurs!"

 _ **"That jerk!"**_ growled Hiita, flaring up angrily.

"Hiita! Calm down!" whispered Elize, although she was slightly offended by Aster's remark.

"Come on, man! That's not cool!" protested Jaden. "A lot of the students here look up to you, and you're going to tell them they can't come? Gimme a break! How selfish can you be?!"

Chuckling at Jaden's naïve response, Aster questioned, "Are you for real? You've got a lot to learn about the business." With that said, Aster left, with Crowler and Bonaparte trying to follow him for more questions.

 _ **"Elize,"**_ spoke up Mystical Elf. _**"I sense...a very dangerous power coming from his deck."**_

"Oh, so it wasn't just me getting a bad feeling?" wondered Elize. Ever since she saw Aster, she sensed something off around his duel disk, meaning there must be something in his deck that either made him very strong, or that something else was at hand. "What should I do?"

 _ **"For now, nothing. We don't know what kind of dangerous power lurks within Aster Phoenix's deck, so stay cautious anyways."**_

"Okay."

* * *

 _The next morning, at the Duel Arena..._

The workers that Aster hired were nearly finished preparing for the final works of the Duel Arena, checking to see if it was legitimate and not rigged or anything like that. Aster and Jaden were about to face head on in the dueling platform as the rest of Jaden's friends watched from the sidelines.

"They're about to start," commented Alexis.

"Your backup troops are right here, Sarge!" encouraged Hassleberry.

"Good luck," spoke Syrus, concerned for his best friend's victory.

Turning to his duel disk, Jaden wished to give his deck some praise before the duel. "Come on, boys! I know we can do this!

"We love Aster, yes we do! We love Aster, how about you?!" cheered Mindy and Jasmine from the sidelines as Aster approached his way up to the dueling platform, waving at them before turning to Jaden.

"Um...Alexis, did you invite them?" wondered Elize. It was hard to say whether they were friends, considering the two Obelisk Blue girls disliked anyone lower in rank than them.

Alexis sighed and shook her head. "Knowing them, they probably just said they were Jaden's friends and were let inside. And Jaden does kinda view them as friends, so..."

"They're supposed to be with us!" cried out Syrus, feeling a little betrayed.

"I'm gonna have a word with those two!" declared Alexis, standing up.

"Oh no, ya don't!" shouted Hassleberry as he and the rest of the boys blocked Alexis' path.

"We're not falling for that! You just want to sit near Aster!" accused Syrus, not wanting another victim to fall for Aster's handsome charms.

The rest of the boys nodded in agreement as Alexis reluctantly sat back down, clearing her throat and trying to change the subject. She had to admit, she was...a little attractive towards Aster and a bit of a fangirl of his.

"...I don't get it. Other than the fact that he's a good duelist, what's so great about him?" wondered Elize, questioning herself after seeing somewhat of Aster's true colors last night.

"Hmm? You don't find him attractive?" wondered Bastion.

"No, he's handsome, but other than that and the fact that he's a good duelist, I don't like him that much," admitted Elize. "I didn't even know anything about him until a few weeks ago!"

 **"Alright, help me welcome Aster Phoenix, the biggest star of our time!"** announced Bonaparte as the duel was about to start shortly.

Witnessing Aster inserting his deck inside his duel disk, Elize sensed a dark presence within his deck. She had a really awful feeling about that power and wondered what it could be. Whatever it was, it spelled danger for Jaden.

"Alright! Time to loosen your tie, roll up your sleeves, and get your game on!" declared Jaden.

"Please, I won't even break a sweat! You're going down!" said Aster confidently.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Aster - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"I'll kick things off!" started Aster, drawing his card. "Check this out! I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode!"

Elemental Hero Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)

"Alright, I'll let you off the hook for now. I end my turn!"

"How strange," spoke Bastion sternly. "Now Jaden has to face off against some of his favorite Monsters!"

"Considering that Aster has nearly the same deck as Jaden's, it shouldn't be surprising to see some more familiar Monsters," said Elize.

"Pretty sweet opening move! But watch this!" shouted Jaden, who swiftly drew his card. "Hey, not bad! I activate Polymerization!"

"Yeah! Time for some fusion action!" cheered Syrus.

"Now he can order a higher ranking Monster to the field!" said Hassleberry.

"And Jaden's Monsters are always strong!" added Elize.

Holding up Burstinatrix and Avian's cards high in the air, Jaden proclaimed, "Now with Avian and Burstinatrix in my hand, I'm combining them to form Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

Appearing from a swirling vortex of energies, Flame Wingman leapt down, taking a fighting stance that would cause him to fight to the death.

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

"Attack Clayman, Flame Wingman!"

Aiming directly at the opponent's Clayman, Flame Wingman fired a blast of his power at Clayman, shattering the defense into absolutely nothing.

"And that's not all! Thanks to my Monster's special ability, your Clayman's Attack Points come out of your Life Points! Take it away, Wingman!"

Now targeting Aster, Flame Wingman released fire from his demonic arm, causing Aster to winch from the fire as it wouldn't really do him any harm.

 **Aster - 3200 LP**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"What do you know? Turns out the pro took the first blow!" insulted Chazz as Jaden ended his turn.

"Lucky shot, but that'll change!" promised Aster, drawing his card. "And guess what I just drew? Polymerization! Just like you, I fuse Avian and Burstinatrix from my hand to create Elemental Hero Phoenix Enforcer!"

Although having various similarities with Flame Wingman, Phoenix Enforcer appeared more human-like than demonic and it appears both would have different fighting styles.

Elemental Hero Phoenix Enforcer - (FIRE/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

"I was hoping to see him again!" said Jaden, ecstatic. "This is so cool!"

"Is that so?! Then, how about this?! Phoenix Enforcer, destroy Flame Wingman!" ordered Aster.

Rushing forward, Phoenix Enforcer held an orb of energy with swirling colors merged together before throwing it at Flame Wingman, who tried to counter by shooting out flames. The orb of energy struck the flames and bypassed their power because it was much stronger before contacting with Flame Wingman, destroying him.

"Wait, that should have been a draw!" cried out Hassleberry.

"One small technicality," spoke Bastion, understanding what transpired. "His Phoenix Enforcer can't be destroyed in battle."

Surprised by the outcome of the battle, Jaden simply smiled instead of panicking. "Well, way to one-up me!"

Smirking, Aster nodded. "What'd you expect? Our decks are similar, not equal."

"Huh?"

"Think of the cards we use as a mirror. They reflect who we are and motivates our actions."

Realizing that Aster might go into one of those cliché philosophical speeches characters give out a lot during battles, Jaden groaned, "Do you have to be so philosophical?"

Knowing Jaden wouldn't understand what he was talking about, Aster simply replied, "I end my turn. The point I'm trying to make is that my deck's better!"

"Oh, yeah? We'll see about that!" shouted Jaden, drawing his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"And since he's the only card on my field, his ability activates and I get to draw two more cards! And now I'll play The Warrior Returning Alive Spell card! So, if you don't mind, I'll be bringing a Warrior-Type back from my Graveyard and into my hand! My Elemental Hero Avian, to be exact! And then I'll fuse him with my Bubbleman, Sparkman, and Polymerization to form Elemental Hero Tempest!"

Their powers flowed together as one as they each transformed into the winds that transformed them all into the powerful Elemental Hero known as Elemental Hero Tempest.

Elemental Hero Tempest - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2800)

"Now attack with Glider Strike!"

Releasing a cry, Tempest targeted Phoenix Enforcer and fired an electrical blast from his charged-up gauntlet, forcing Phoenix Enforcer to defend himself. Although injured, Phoenix Enforcer kept his guard up and was not destroyed.

 **Aster - 2500 LP**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"Aster's Monster may be invincible, but the same thing can't be said about his Life Points!" pointed out Alexis.

"If Jaden keeps attacking him like this, he might win!" said Elize.

"Don't start celebrating just yet! This duel has a long ways to go!" reminded Bastion, though pleased with the outcome.

"Back to me!" stated Aster, knowing Jaden was finished with his turn. "I use Polymerization and take Phoenix Enforcer with Sparkman to create Elemental Hero Shining Phoenix Enforcer!"

Branding an appearance resembling Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman, Shining Phoenix Enforcer was more armored than the other look-alike.

Elemental Hero Shining Phoenix Enforcer - (FIRE/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2500/2100)

"And thanks to his special ability, he gains 300 extra Attack Points for every Elemental Hero in my Graveyard! And I count 5, so he gains 1500 extra Attack Points!"

Elemental Hero Shining Phoenix Enforcer - (FIRE/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (4000/2100)

"You're way out of your league! Shining Phoenix Enforcer! Attack with Shimmer Kick!"

Rising high in the air, Shining Phoenix Enforcer's leg shined with power before drop kicking downwards onto Tempest's abdomen, destroying him.

 **Aster - 2500 LP**

 **Jaden - 2800 LP**

"Heh, that'll do. So, I'll place this facedown and end my turn."

"Not too bad, but get this!" Jaden said, having drawn his card. "I play Pot of Greed, so now, I can draw two cards! Sweet! And now, I activate Miracle Fusion! Here's how it works! First, I remove any Fusion-Materials Monsters from my field and/or my Graveyard! Then, I can Fusion Summon someone stronger! I remove from play Flare Wingman and Sparkman to create Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!"

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2500/2100)

"And if you think he's strong now, just wait until he gains 1200 extra Attack Points! Thanks to the 4 Heroes in my Graveyard!"

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (3700/2100)

"Are you done?" asked Aster, smugly. "I was hoping after that huge production, you might have summoned a more decent Monster. But, no! You spend 20 minutes summoning a Monster that's weaker than mine!"

Jaden smirked. "Not exactly. See, Attack Points aren't everything! So, if you don't mind, I'll continue by equipping my Monster with Light Laser! When my Shining Flare Wingman attacks, your Monster is automatically removed from play!"

Understanding his logical strategy, Chazz had to admit, it was pretty good. "Not bad, slacker. Not bad at all."

Bastion nodded. "Jaden's got the upper hand. What would Aster's fans think? It's no wonder he insisted the arena be empty."

"That's a bit rude, don't you think?" said Elize. "Even if he is a little...dislikeable."

"I activate the Field Spell, Skyscraper!" yelled Jaden, causing the entire field to transform into a city-like environment with tall skyscraper buildings towering over them. "I figured we needed a change in scenery! Oh, and it boosts my Elemental Hero by 1000 Points during battle calculation if he attacks someone stronger than him!"

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (4700/2100)

"And now, Shining Flare Wingman! Attack!"

"Alright, fine! We'll go out with a bang!" hollered Aster, knowing it was useless anyways, but determined to see things through to the end.

Clashing their attacks together, Shining Flare Wingman activated Light Laser, causing a laser to pop out of his equipment and stab Shining Phoenix Enforcer, receiving a kick to the side before Shining Phoenix Enforcer was sent away.

 **Aster - 1800 LP**

 **Jaden - 2800 LP**

"Awesome! Who's the pro duelist now?" challenged Alexis.

"Jaden!" agreed Syrus and Elize.

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (3700/2100)

With Shining Flare Wingman's task complete, he flew back to Jaden's side. "This is what I call a sweet duel! What could be better? Hero Monsters going head to head! It's so chill-"

"What's with you?!" demanded Aster angrily. "You think this is all just some big joke?! Well, I've got news for ya, joy boy! Dueling isn't about having _fun!_ At least...not for me. But someone like you would never understand that. I duel for justice! And revenge..."

Elize was startled when Aster began yelling all of a sudden. Jaden never did anything wrong! And why was it that people kept insisting that dueling was all about business? If Aster was like that, then she'll never understand their unsatisfied thirst for greed.

"Hey, why are you acting like that?" asked Jaden.

Thinking he might as well tell him, Aster sighed. "I chose my Hero cards for a reason. And punks like you who use them just because they look cool makes me sick!"

Aster was right about one thing; Jaden truly never would understand what he was saying. "Chill out!"

Irritated, Aster continued, "Look, these cards are my life! They're everything to me! I was destined to build this deck! And here's proof! I activate my Trap card, D-Time! You triggered this trap when you removed my Phoenix Enforcer! Now, I can add some new Monsters with a total Level that's equal to or less than Shining Phoenix Enforcer's Level from my deck to my hand! And the Monsters I'm adding are known as the Destiny Heroes!"

"Destiny Heroes?" gasped Jaden, unsure what those Monsters are. Whatever they were, they sounded similar to his Elemental Heroes!

"It's time for you to open your eyes to the true powers of the Elemental Heroes! You should know that these Monsters were a secret series of Duel Monsters created by Industrial Illusions but never released to the public. It's known as the D-Series! But why don't I just show you right after you end your turn?"

Grunting, Jaden said, "I...end my turn."

"Why, thank you! My turn!" Aster said. "First, I'll play my Clock Tower Prison Field Spell!"

All around the field, the skyscraper buildings scattered as clock towers sprung up in their place, overshadowing the two duelists as it turned from daylight to nighttime right around now.

"This clock is the key ingredient!"

Checking out the impressive field, Jaden asked, "It is? But why?"

"Oh, so _now_ you wanna hear my speech!" spoke Aster sarcastically. "Why don't we say that with every tick of this clock, I come closer to victory! Now, hands of fate, turn! And usher in the doom!"

The huge clock reverted counterclockwise until it reached midnight. As soon as it did, the clouds evaporated, revealing a mysterious, spooky Monster on top of the clock tower.

"Jaden, meet Destiny Hero - Doom Lord!"

Destiny Hero - Doom Lord - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

"Uh...no offense, but he seems weak!" commented Jaden, noting Doom Lord's Attack Points.

Of course people would react to the first thing they saw in a Monster's strength; Attack Points. "Let's test that theory! Doom Lord, activate your ability!"

Leaping from the rooftop, Doom Lord flew towards Shining Flare Wingman, who probably thought no threat came to the Destiny Hero. As a result, Doom Lord was choking Shining Flare Wingman as he struggled for breath before vanishing out of thin air, dropping his equipped item, which got shattered.

"Hey, what happened to my Monster? He's gone!" cried out Jaden.

"Yeah, but not for long," explained Aster. "You see, my Monster's ability is that once per turn, he can remove from play 1 Monster for two turns. Jaden, you've got a lot to learn about destiny. And unfortunately for you, right now, I'm controlling yours. And your future's looking pretty grim! Luckily for you, Doom Lord can't attack on the turn he activated this effect, so I'll end my turn with one card facedown!"

"You think things are tense now? Well, wait and see!" Jaden said, drawing a new card. "My move!"

"Whoa, hold on!" interrupted Aster. "Haven't you at least wondered for one second what my Clock Tower Prison could do? Every time you go into the Standby Phase, my Clock Tower gains 1 Clock Counter!"

"That's cool," shrugged Jaden. "Because whatever that thing does, I'm pretty sure I've got the cards in my deck to stop it."

"Wrong!" denied Aster. "No one can stop the hands of fate!"

"Don't be so sure! I summon Wroughtweiler in Attack Mode! Now attack Doom Lord, boy!"

Trotting towards Doom Lord, Wroughtweiler leapt off the ground and tackled Doom Lord down, biting onto a part of his body and destroying him.

 **Aster - 1600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2800 LP**

"Thanks for the help! Now I can play this!" shouted Aster, having predicted Jaden would destroy his Doom Lord like that. "My Trap card, Destiny Signal!"

Familiar with his own Trap card, Hero Signal, Jaden muttered, "That's real original."

"I heard that!" Aster shouted, insulted. "You're just bitter that I have the upper hand! Well, can't say that I blame you. When my Monster is destroyed, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Destiny Hero from my deck to my field! I Special Summon a brand new Destiny Hero - Captain Tenacious!"

Destiny Hero - Captain Tenacious - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/800)

"And that's not all! Now that the introductions are out of the way, I'm activating Captain Tenacious' special ability! Now, he can Special Summon a Destiny Hero that was destroyed this turn, but he can only Special Summon that Monster during my next turn, so you're safe for now!"

"Alright then, I end my turn!"

"And now it's back to me!" said Aster. "I activate Captain Tenacious' effect and revive Destiny Hero - Doom Lord!"

Destiny Hero - Doom Lord - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

"Now, what to do...Oh! I summon Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude!"

Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1600)

"Now I activate Diamond Dude's effect! I draw a card, and if it happens to be a Spell, it goes to the Graveyard until my next turn!" Aster drew his card and revealed it to be a Spell card before placing it inside his Graveyard. "Well, what do you know? It's my Misfortune Spell card! And how appropriate! Because now, misfortune's in your future! Attack, Diamond Dude!"

Wind swirling around his arm, Diamond Dude thrusted his arm forward, digging deep within Wroughtweiler's stomach, making the machine-like canine whimper in pain before exploding.

 **Aster - 1600 LP**

 **Jaden - 2200 LP**

"Now, you just helped me out!" said Jaden. "I activate Wroughtweiler's effect! When he's sent to the Graveyard, I get to bring back an Elemental Hero and Polymerization back to my hand!"

"What good will that'll do?" wondered Aster. "Captain Tenacious, attack him directly!"

Grinning maliciously, Captain Tenacious slammed the Slifer Red with his shield-like gauntlets, sending him sliding across the ground.

 **Aster - 1600 LP**

 **Jaden - 1400 LP**

"I'll set a card down and end my turn!"

"It's about time!" sighed Jaden, drawing his card.

"Not yet!" reminded Aster as his clock tower struck 6 o'clock. "I have two Clock Counters!"

"Fine, but now, it's time for me to summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman! And with him all alone on the field, I get to draw two more cards!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"Now I play this! Bubble Blaster! I equip it to Bubbleman, which gives him 800 extra Attack Points!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1200)

"Now, Bubbleman! Attack with Bombarding Bubble Barrage!"

"Sorry, but now I activate my Trap card!" shouted Aster. "D-Shield! Now Captain Tenacious is automatically switched into Defense Mode and D-Shield is equipped onto him! Plus, he can't be destroyed in battle!"

"He may be annoying, but he's good," admitted Chazz.

"Aster took a Monster that resurrects other Monsters and made him invincible!" cried out Crowler. Such a tactic requires careful thinking and a hard way to turn things around.

"Guess that's why they pay him the big bucks," mumbled Bonaparte.

"My turn!" said Aster.

"Wait a minute!" reminded Jaden as Flame Wingman returned to his side magically. "Now that two turns passed, I get my Wingman back!"

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2500/2100)

"Congratulations. But if you remember, I get a card back, too," recalled Aster. "My Misfortune Spell card! In fact, I'm activating it right now! I give up my Battle Phase for this turn, but then, half of the Attack Points of one of your Monsters comes right out of your Life Points! And I choose your Wingman!"

Radiating a bright aura, Shining Flare Wingman unleashed a lightning bolt of light at Aster, who was protected by a strong barrier that reflected the blast straight at Jaden.

 **Aster - 1600 LP**

 **Jaden - 150 LP**

"You turned him against me!" cried out Jaden, shocked.

"That was low!" yelled Alexis.

"No joke!" agreed Hassleberry and Syrus.

"I can't believe he would do such a horrible thing!" said Elize. She manipulated and controlled Monsters, but not exactly in that manner!

"There's more!" added Aster. "Remember my Doom Lord? Well, he's about to cut your little reunion short by activating his effect again and removing Shining Flare Wingman for two more turns! But of course, he can't attack this turn!"

"Poor Jaden!" said Alexis, watching Shining Flare Wingman being transported once again. "Thanks to Aster's Destiny cards, he's lost control of his own Monsters! I've never seen him like this!"

"This duel is remarkable!" praised Bastion, despite wanting Jaden to win. "It breaks every known formula! Jaden can't make a choice because all of his choices have been pre-determined!"

"Let's try this again, shall we?" called out Jaden, drawing his card.

"Hold it! Did you forget my Clock Tower Prison's effect?" said Aster as the clock turned into 9 o'clock and started chiming. "It's 9 o'clock. The countdown to your defeat is almost over! You hear that bell, don't you? Well, it tolls for you! Told ya you were destined to lose! Now do you believe in destiny? Feeling pressured?"

Jaden grinned. "You kidding? Guys like me live for pressure! It keeps me at the top of my game! Anyways, I've been looking for a serious challenge ever since this semester started! Plus, with all these new Destiny Heroes of yours, I'm picking up some sweet strategies!"

"Hmph. How naïve," said Aster. "Besides, you could never handle a deck like mine, so stick to your own heroes! My Destiny Heroes are among the strongest in the game! They're way out of your league and much stronger than those pathetic Elemental Heroes you have!"

"Gimme a break," said Jaden. "I mean, sure, they're cool and all, but I couldn't really call them the best of the Elemental Heroes!"

Due to possessing a Destiny Hero deck and hearing such a comment from Jaden somewhat insulted Aster. "I'd watch what I'd say if I were you!"

"Fine, then I'll just attack, instead! Bubbleman, take down Doom Lord!"

This time, when Bubbleman's attack was previously deflected by Aster's Trap card, it had no effect, but now, it was a clean hit as it not only destroyed the troublesome Monster, but reduced Aster's Life Points as well.

 **Aster - 600 LP**

 **Jaden - 150 LP**

"Think you're tough? Maybe you've forgotten, but my Captain Tenacious' effect will kick in!" said Aster. "When my next turn comes, he'll resurrect Doom Lord! No matter how many times you beat him or any other of my Monsters, I'll just keep reviving them over and over again!"

"Fine, then I play Clayman in Defense Mode!" Jaden said.

Elemental Hero Clayman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/2100)

"I end my turn! Now, give me your best shot!"

"If you insist!" accepted Aster. "I draw and activate Captain Tenacious' effect to Special Summon Doom Lord back to the field!"

Destiny Hero - Doom Lord - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

"Diamond Dude, now it's your turn to activate your special ability! I draw! Since I just drew a Spell card, I can use it next turn once I store it in my Graveyard! Now I activate Doom Lord's effect to remove from play Bubbleman and send him two turns into the future!"

Granting Aster's wishes, Doom Lord arrived in front of Bubbleman and grabbed his arm, teleporting him far into the future, which might not be so far away.

"Next, I equip my Captain Tenacious with the Equip Spell, Ring of Magnetism! Of course, the ring bearer has to give up 500 Attack and Defense Points, but the upside is that you're only allowed to attack Captain Tenacious!"

Destiny Hero - Captain Tenacious - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (300/300)

"Now Jaden's forced to attack a Monster that's invincible!" cried out Bastion, realizing how dire and worsen the situation had become.

"What's his problem?! Let Jaden duel!" complained Alexis angrily.

"Truth be told, things can be unfair and fair in a duel. We were all taught that," reminded Elize.

"I'll end my turn," decided Aster. "What's wrong? Feel like you've lost control?"

Growling, Jaden drew his card. "Not quite! Now-"

"NOW it's time for me to gain my 4th Clock Counter!" interrupted Aster as the clock tower struck at midnight, starting all over the process.

Noticing the imagery of the Clock Tower Prison was hazy and unstable for a few seconds, Elize sensed something amiss. Whatever objective Aster had with the Clock Tower Prison...had to have been completed, and she had a bad feeling about the benefit Aster probably received from it.

 _'I don't know what that clock's about to do, but I better act fast!'_ thought Jaden. "Here goes something! It's Fusion time! I combine Elemental Hero Wildheart with Elemental Hero Necroshade in order to form my newest hero! So, give it up for Elemental Hero Necroid Shaman!"

Necroid Shaman appeared to be some tribesman that was strong in both body and spirit and had some sort of traditional symbolism behind his appearance and powers.

Elemental Hero Necroid Shaman - (DARK/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (1900/1800)

"It's time for Necroid Shaman's ability!" announced Jaden. "I get to sacrifice a Monster from your side of the field! And then, I Special Summon a replacement Monster from your Graveyard! I'll get rid of Captain Tenacious and force you to Special Summon Avian!"

Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/1000)

"Atta boy! Excellent maneuver there, soldier!" complimented Hassleberry.

"Ditto!" agreed Syrus. "Now, kick him to the curb, academy-style!"

"Well said, Sy! Finish him off, Jay!" said Alexis, relieved to see the conclusion of the duel coming to an end.

"He can do this! He can win!" cheered Elize.

Necroid Shaman jumped high in the air before pummeling down, swinging his traditional weapon downwards at Doom Lord and supposedly destroying him, as evident of the explosion from Doom Lord's destruction. However, instead of Aster's Life Points plummeting, he was protected by an invisible barrier, shielding his Life Points.

"Well, well, well...Looks like I'm still standing," said Aster. "I think it's about time I told you what Clock Tower Prison does. As long as it's here, I can't lose a single Life Point! I'm invincible!"

"Ah! That was the bad feeling I was having all this time?" wondered Elize, having sensed there was something more ominous within the clock tower. _'No...for some reason, I can sense something more dangerous inside!'_

"Oh, man! Can't say I was expecting that," groaned Jaden. "I'll just place these two facedown and call it a turn."

"All these Monsters, and Jaden gets his butt kicked by a clock?" wondered Chazz.

"No, it's much worse," started Bastion. "You see, Chazz, Aster's practically learned how to control time itself! As expected from a young Pro Duelist like himself!"

"My turn!" said Aster. "And I know that your Shining Flare Wingman will now return back to the field, so don't remind me."

Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2500/2100)

"But there's more! Remember the Spell card I sent to my Graveyard earlier? Well, it was Magical Stone Excavation! All I have to do is toss out two cards from my hand and a Spell card returns from my Graveyard! My Misfortune Spell card! Now, I skip my Battle Phase, but then I choose a Monster of yours, and then half of its Attack Points come right of your Life Points! Shining Flare Wingman! Take Jaden down!"

Forced to submit to Misfortune's effect, Shining Flare Wingman fired another round of electrical beams of light at Aster's barrier, protecting him as they reflected back towards Jaden.

"You are just so predictable!" said Jaden. "I play my Quick-Play Spell, De-Fusion! Also, my other Quick-Play Spell, Burial from a Different Dimension! First, I return Flame Wingman and Sparkman from being removed from play back to my Graveyard! Then, I defuse Shining Flare Wingman and Special Summon Flame Wingman and Sparkman back to my field! So, your Misfortune has no effect!"

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/1200)

Elemental Hero Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)

Impressed by Jaden's quick strategy to avoid a move that could have spelled out his demise, Aster replied, "Alright, I'll be frank. That was good. I end my turn."

"I draw!" Jaden said. "Now I play the Field Spell, Fusion Gate, and fuse Monsters without Polymerization by removing them from play! And, because this is a new Spell card, it cancels out your clock tower Spell!"

Smirking as the clock towers began crumbling from a sudden earthquake occurring all over the field because of Jaden's actions, Aster shouted, "Just what I was hoping for! Did you honestly believe I'd let you make a decision on your own? I wanted this to crumble now that I have no more use of it! To release the Monster hiding inside! And now, come on out, Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster!"

"Another Destiny Hero?!" exclaimed Elize. _'Was this the big dangerous feeling I thought earlier?! Was Dreadmaster the one dangerous Monster that came from Clock Tower Prison instead of that Life Point negation effect?!'_

The clock towers crumbled, but soaring out from the rubble and dust was an enlarged, monstrous-looking Monster with an iron masked helm and chains strapped to his shackles before roaring loudly.

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (?/?)

"When Dreadmaster's summoned, the first thing he does is destroy any of my non-Destiny Monsters!" explained Aster. "They're not worthy to be in his presence!"

Roaring loudly, Dreadmaster's powers were so strong, he could summon powerful winds that blocked out anymore obstacles in his way, such as destroying the Elemental Hero Avian in Aster's field.

"That's not all! It gets worse. Next, I can Special Summon up to two Destiny Heroes in my Graveyard! Doom Lord and Captain Tenacious!"

Destiny Hero - Doom Lord - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

Destiny Hero - Captain Tenacious - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/800)

"And one more thing! Dreadmaster's Attack and Defense Points are equal to the combined Attack Points of every Destiny Hero in the field!"

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (2800/2800)

"Not bad! I've got to admit, your Monsters just keep on getting cooler and cooler!" admitted Jaden, impressed. "But I've got a sweet hero of my own! Using Fusion Gate, I combine Clayman with Sparkman in order to create Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant - (LIGHT/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"And he's got a special effect, too! He gets to destroy a Monster whose original Attack Points are lower or equal to his! So Diamond Dude, you're outta here! Thunder Giant, activate Static Blast!"

Mustering his strength, Thunder Giant summoned a bolt of lightning to target Diamond Dude, only for his attack to be defended by Dreadmaster, who protected Diamond Dude.

"When Dreadmaster is summoned to the field in Attack Mode, on that turn only, none of my other Destiny Heroes can be destroyed by battle or Monster effects!" explained Aster. "It's hopeless! Listen, your dueling skills may not be half bad. However, there's something I have that you'll never have: Purpose. A reason to duel besides having fun."

"What else is there?" asked Jaden, annoyed.

"Typical. You've just proven my point," sighed Aster. "The reason I duel is to bring justice to the world by punishing people who think they're above the law! You see, my father was a duelist, too. He worked as a card designer for Mr. Maximillion Pegasus. My Dad put his whole heart into every design he created. He was my hero."

"What happened?"

Grimacing from the painful memory, Aster spoke, "Some punk took him away! There was some burglary and the culprit was after my father's cards. They must have broken in, and now he's gone."

"That's awful..." muttered Jaden, before realizing a new fact. "Hold up! Did your Dad design-"

"That's right! My father created the Destiny Heroes! They were the last cards he ever made! My father taught me that justice would always prevail, but he was wrong. Justice is a lie! They still haven't found my Dad! He's gone! And whoever took him is still out there! Yet another criminal whose actions have gone unpunished! It's not fair! So, I made a choice. I'd duel to bring lawbreakers to justice! And in honor of my father, I used the cards he created to punish these evildoers! And that's why I duel! And somehow, I'm gonna find the scum that kidnapped my father and make him pay for what he did! And I'll know him as soon as I see him! He'll have a rare card! The one he stole from when he took my Dad! It was the last card my Dad made...Whoever has it is going to regret the day he was ever born!"

Jaden did truly sorry for Aster, but while his actions helped others, and his reasons made sense, they were still wrong, nonetheless. "Aster, your Dad made those cards so people could use them for fun! He wouldn't want you to use them for revenge!"

"You don't know anything about him, so shut up!" snapped Aster. "Look, my father deserves justice, and I'm gonna make sure he gets it! Didn't you hear what I just said?! He was my hero! And now I finally have a chance to be his! My turn! Dreadmaster, destroy one of Jaden's Monsters! I don't care which! Just crush them!"

Feeling his master's anger emitting towards him, Dreadmaster roared and leapt up, before slamming a fist at Thunder Giant, hard enough to penetrate through his chest and destroy him.

 **Aster - 600 LP**

 **Jaden - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Aster**

Satisfied with the outcome of the duel, Aster turned around and began to leave, not willing to speak any final words with someone whom he's never going to bother seeing ever again.

Sweat trailed down Jaden's cheek before he collapsed; cards scattering from his deck and scrambling towards the floor as Jaden fell unconscious.

Elize was the only one remaining in her seat as everyone else rushed to Jaden's aid, shocked as she felt the ominous presence from before. Whatever it was, the moment Aster won, that ominous presence surrounded Jaden and affected him somewhat. And she had a feeling it was pretty bad.

* * *

 **Finished! Kinda had to rush this cause I was a bit sick and tired, but don't worry! I'm fine! Oh, and I rewritten my My Hero Academia fanfic, if you're interested in seeing it!**

 **My OC, Elize, is featured in a story called Yu-Gi-Oh Orichalcos, by bopdog11!**


	35. Pop Goes The Duel

**Okay, so this'll be the whole Dance Dance Revolution episode with Atticus vs his sister, except with changes! Yeah, I dunno why, but seeing Atticus in that pop idol outfit reminded me of Dance Dance Revolution for some reason.**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"Dude! Did you hear about Jaden?!"

"Yeah! He can't duel anymore!"

"For real?!"

"Outta my way!" cried out Syrus, attempting to bypass the large crowd of students trying to peek through the infirmary doors to see Jaden's current condition.

Ever since Jaden, the strongest duelist on Duel Academy who always was itching for a duel, lost all hopes for dueling, eventually, other suitors wishing to duel him took notice and spread the word all over, alerting everyone at Duel Academy.

Syrus, who pushed past the crowd of students, accidentally pressed the OPEN button on the side of the wall next to the set of doors, causing the doors to automatically open. Since he and the crowd were leaning against the set of doors, they fell forward and collapsed on top of each other in a hazy mess.

"Take a hike, dorks," snapped Chazz, glancing behind his shoulder at the crowd as he was annoyed by their slight interference.

"Huh?" The crowd of students glanced up, unsure what to do since they were now caught. "Chazz!"

"I said, BEAT IT!"

Startled and not wishing to invoke Chazz's wrath, the intruding students ran away, leaving only Syrus behind. Getting up, he saw the rest of his friends gathered around Jaden as the school nurse, Fontaine, was examining Jaden.

"It's not true, is it?" wondered Syrus, worried. "Because my lab partner's sister's third cousin said that Jaden can't duel! Please tell me it's just another rumor."

"When they said that you hit puberty, _that_ was a rumor," replied Chazz, half-joking as he fetched Jaden's deck out of his pocket. "But this one's true, because according to Jaden, he can't see any of his cards! He claims they're all blank!"

Checking out the cards for himself, Syrus saw that not one of them had a single dent spot on them and that they were perfectly alright. "They look fine to me. What's the deal?"

"The cards aren't the problem," explained Fontaine. "It's Jaden. During his last duel, something must have happened to him."

"Are you messing with us?" questioned Syrus, still unable to accept the fact that his #1 best friend, who loved dueling more than anything in the entire world, would just...just give up dueling after that one match days ago.

Chuckling, Jaden shook his head. "Haha...Not this time. Oh, well. What are ya gonna do?" Standing up from his seat, Jaden walked over to Syrus, who handed his deck back, before beginning to leave the infirmary.

"Where are you going?" asked Syrus.

Stopping, Jaden sadly glanced back at Syrus. "I just need to chill by myself, Sy."

As soon as he left, Jaden's friends grew more concerned about Jaden. Lately, he's been more depressed and low on energy, which is so unlike his usual energetic and cheerful self.

* * *

 _Later, inside Chazz's dorm..._

 _ **"Oh, the horror!"**_ cried out Ojama Yellow as all of Jaden's friends gathered together in the living room area of Chazz's dorm. _**"The horror! Jaden can't talk to his cards anymore! What if that was you, Boss?! It's too-aah!"**_

Annoyed by Ojama Yellow's constant pestering, Chazz flickered him away, sending him flying. There was a bigger problem, and his annoying Duel Spirit continuing to talk with his annoying, squeaky voice wasn't helping!

"I hate to damper the cheery mood," spoke Bastion. "But we've got a problem. This dorm. With Jaden down, they might tear it down."

"He's right, guys," agreed Syrus. "We're doomed."

"Oh no! I was so worried about what happened to Jaden, I completely forgot about that!" said Elize. "What are we going to do?"

"Our headquarters? Gone?" Even Hassleberry couldn't fathom such a horrible thought in mind.

"We may be one man down, but we're six men strong!" exclaimed Chazz, attempting to encourage everyone in his own Chazz way.

Elize politely raised her hand, somewhat ruining the moment. "Um...Alexis and I are girls."

"Oh. Well, fine! Four men and two girls!" Placing a foot on top of a table to prompt himself forward, Chazz shouted, "Alright, three men, two ladies, and Syrus!"

"HEY!"

"The point is, we've gotta fight!"

"Here, here!" cheered Bastion, roused up by Chazz's speech.

"I'm in!" agreed Alexis.

"Me too!" added Elize.

"I'll stand by and cheer!" said Syrus. He couldn't do much, but at the very least, he would be helping his friends by cheering them on.

"How about a group 'Yee-haw?'" suggested Hassleberry.

Seeing as there was no harm in doing so, and it was basically a group cheer anyways, everyone complied, fist pumping the air. "YEE-HAW!"

With resolution found within their flaring hearts once again, Hassleberry declared, "Crowler! If you try anything, you'll crash into a wall of brotherhood!"

"Yeah, brotherhood!" said Syrus, liking the sound of that.

"And sisterhood, too!" added Alexis. "All for one, right guys?"

"Yeah!" said Elize, nodding.

"And one for all!" finished Bastion.

"Uh...does anyone hear singing, or is it just me?" wondered Chazz. Everyone grew silent, and confirmed Chazz was right. It was faint, but they could hear someone singing from outside before heading out to check things out.

Following the sounds of singing, it took the group a short while, but soon, they were glancing down from a bridge, hanging onto the railings of the iron bridge as the singing grew closer. In fact, the singing came from someone awfully familiar.

Standing on top of a small boat, Atticus was singing and playing a guitar, about to pass through the bridge when he noticed the gang on top of said bridge. "Hey, sissy!"

"Atticus?" wondered Alexis.

"No way!" gasped Chazz.

"Nice song!" called out Syrus.

"Hold on!" shouted Hassleberry, angered. "Who's he calling a sissy?!"

"Me," corrected Alexis. "He's my brother."

"...I knew that."

About a few more minutes later, everyone managed to meet up with Atticus on land, where they could finally have a chat with him after he finished three more songs before he was fully satisfied at the moment.

"So, what brings you to this side of the campus?" wondered Alexis.

"Come on. You know! Crowler's plan!" reminded Atticus.

Realizing what he meant, Alexis sighed. "You've got to be kidding." Were they seriously going to propose the plan for the pop idol thing?

"He sounds pretty serious to me!" grunted Crowler, struggling to climb up the cliff while wearing a wetsuit with a boat strapped to his back.

"Chancellor Crowler?" wondered Elize, sweatdropping. "Um...were you acting as Atticus' boat the entire time? How is that even possible?"

"Nice day for snorkeling, isn't it?" replied Crowler. "And of course I was his boat! I'm quite skilled in the art of snorkeling, you know! By the way, Alexis, have you come to your senses yet?"

"Sense-No! I already told you guys, I don't want to do this!" shouted Alexis.

Sighing, Atticus shook his head, knowing how stubborn she can be. "Sis, can't you give this idea a chance? Please?"

"What idea?" asked Syrus as he and the others were still lost.

"I already told you guys, didn't I?" spoke Alexis, embarrassed by the suggested idea Crowler and Atticus keep pestering her about. "Crowler wants Atticus and I to be a pop-singing duo."

"What's so bad about that?" wondered Crower, managing to get on land safely with the price being the loss of the boat that was previously strapped to his back. "I get free publicity, you get a free dress, and it's a win-win situation!"

At the mention of Alexis' free dress, Chazz recalled that she did bring in a dress before coming to live with him in his dorm, and the sight of her wearing a cute dress to match her beauty excited Chazz. "YEAH!" he cheered with hearts in his eyes.

"A little help here?!" snapped Alexis, knowing full well what he was thinking.

"Yeah, Chazz. You know she can't carry a tune," joked Bastion.

Irritated and insulted, Alexis smacked Bastion on the face, sending him facedown on the ground before Elize, Syrus, and Hassleberry rushed to see if he was alright.

"Bastion! Are you okay?" asked Elize gently.

"You gotta know when to hold them, soldier," sighed Hassleberry, shaking his head. He knew what it was like to face women's wrath, and the last and first time he angered a woman...well, it was traumatizing, to say the least.

"I was trying to help!" defended Bastion, weakened by Alexis' smack as Elize tried to help him up. "Girls...so complex."

"..." Elize simply stared at Bastion, making him uneased.

"Er, not ALL girls!"

"Wait, I know!" suggested Atticus, magically taking out a cardboard figure of Alexis in a sexy, red dress. "Meet Lex-I-Licious! Your glammed-out alter ego!"

Further insulted and annoyed, Alexis shouted, "You just don't get it!"

This time, Atticus pulled out another cardboard figure, only with Alexis sporting a different outfit. "Fine. Go Cas."

Trembling with anger, Alexis tried to remain calm as much as possible. "Just give it up. I'm staying."

"Man, you're as stubborn as ever, Sis," sighed Atticus. "Come on, Chazzy! Talk some sense into her! Tell her how we'd take the pop charts by storm and how we'd sell out arenas all over the world!"

More excited and happy at the thought of seeing Alexis in more sexy outfits, Chazz nearly agreed. "And how I'd be your groupie?!"

"Come on, Chazz! Tell him we've got more important things to do!" shouted Alexis, reminding him about the Slifer Red dorm being at risk of being destroyed. "Tell him about our dorm! How we're all gonna protect it!"

"I-I was getting there!" assured Chazz.

Atticus seemed to disagree and cared more about the whole pop idol situation. "Come on, Chazz! Don't listen to her!"

"Tell him, Chazz!"

Pressured by the two siblings, Chazz didn't know what to do. He wanted to go along Atticus' idea because he wanted to see Alexis in cute outfits, but at the same time, he didn't want to anger and disappoint Alexis.

"GAH! I CAN'T TAKE IT! DON'T MAKE ME CHOOSE BETWEEN YOU TWO! THE PRESSURE'S JUST TOO MUCH! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!"

Seeing Chazz fall to his knees, Elize rushed and kneeled besides him, rubbing his back with care. "There, there..."

Seeing Chazz was out of commission, Atticus turned to Alexis. "Looks like we'll have to settle this the old school way. Except, it'll be a bit different this time! How about a Tag Team duel?"

"...Fine," agreed Alexis, hoping this might end it. "You win, I'll sing. But if I win, you'll drop this whole thing!"

"Alright."

* * *

 _The next day, at the Duel Arena..._

 **"Attention, students!"** announced Crowler, standing on the dueling platform. **"Today's duel shall prove that our school is not only home of the world's future dueling stars, but also the place where pop music legends are made!"** **  
**

Chazz, Bastion, and Hassleberry were already seated in their own seats when they spotted a down-looking Syrus approaching them. "No Jaden?" pondered Bastion.

Syrus shook his head sadly. "Nope. He never misses a duel. Something's wrong."

The lights went out in the Duel Arena, with colorful spotlights emitting different sort of light colors as the main spotlight shined onto Crowler. **"Ladies and gents, it's showtime! As you kids like to say, time to raise the roof of this joint! First star, starring me! Your beloved Chancellor, or as you all call me, Chancellor Crowler in action!"**

"..."

"..."

Literally, the entire stadium was void of any cheering, though there was some slight clapping as well as a cricket cricketing.

 **"...You kids have no respect for the elderly, do you? Fine! As for the next star, please welcome Atticus Rhodes!"**

Being his cue, Atticus leapt off from above with ropes tight around his waist to keep him airborne and safe as he swung around the crowd as though he could fly, blowing air kisses to his fangirls before arriving in the middle of the dueling platform.

"Man, Atticus sure knows how to make an entrance!" praised Syrus.

"I dedicate this duel to the ladies in the house!" announced Atticus proudly and smoothly. "Now, who loves ya, girls?!"

All of Atticus' fangirls, which happened to be a large majority of the female population in Duel Academy, squealed and screamed as they chanted Atticus' name over and over while holding banners of him.

"He's like a one-man boy!" said Bastion as the lights returned back to normal.

 **"And now, coming forth into the stage are two lovely ladies that are the bestest of friends and are the definition of beauty and cute combined! Alexis Rhodes and Elize Simington!"**

Smoke blasted off at the other entrance as Alexis and Elize arrived while riding a swan-like cart that automatically drove them towards the dueling platform.

"...I'm sorry you had to duel like this, Alexis," apologized Elize.

Alexis, who was in a grumpy mood, smiled softly at the girl. "No, no! None of this is your fault. In fact, I should be the one apologizing! I just asked you out of nowhere to be my partner for the duel when it's really going to be rough!"

Elize shook her head. "No, I'd be more than happy to help! Besides, you're going up against your brother and Chancellor Crowler, right? Then, I'll support and defend you as much as I can!"

Stepping onto the dueling platform, Atticus turned to his sister. "Before you know it, we'll have a platinum album, be in every teen magazine, and have our own reality show!"

"Slow down, hotshot," said Alexis. "You have to win this, first."

"I named our band," continued Atticus. "It's called 'Bro-Bro and Sissy.'"

"Um...Not to be rude, but I don't think that's a very...creative name," admitted Elize.

"Oh, hush!" Crowler scolded at Elize. "You're not involved in their idol band anyways, so what do you know? It's time for us to partner up and win this, Atticus!"

"Alright! The sooner we win, the sooner me and Sis can go travel around the world!" agreed Atticus.

"That's not fair! Atticus has Crowler as his partner, and we all know Crowler's tough!" complained Syrus as Chazz was holding up a banner representing Atticus' band name.

"Alexis must have known that, because why else would she have picked Elize?" questioned Bastion. "They communicate and are closer to each other than any of us, plus they know each others' decks well, so even though Elize isn't the best duelist, she's certainly the best choice to have a partner in this sort of situation."

"DUEL!" All four duelists exclaimed.

 **\- DUEL-**

 **Atticus and Crowler - 8000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Alexis and Elize - 8000 LP**

"I'll go first!" said Atticus, drawing his card. "I summon Panther Warrior in Attack Mode!"

Panther Warrior - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (2000/1600)

"Then, I activate the Continuous Spell card, Spotlight and target my Panther Warrior! He gains 300 more Attack Points!"

Panther Warrior - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (2300/1600)

"I'll set a card and leave the spotlight to you, Sis! After all, you'll need practice for when we make our first concert together!"

"I already told you, I'm not interested!" scowled Alexis, drawing her card. "I activate Ritual Sanctuary, a Field Spell specifically for Ritual Monsters!"

The entire field transformed into the inside of a church, as though preparing for a service or even for something more elegant like a wedding of sorts.

"Now with Ritual Sanctuary in play, I can discard one Spell card and add a Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand! I'll discard Ritual Weapon and add Machine Angel Ritual to my hand! I'm activating it and sacrifice Cyber Prima from my hand, a Level 6 Monster, in order to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Idaten!"

A pink-skin feminine warrioress who seemed skilled in hand-to-hand combat, appeared in all of her glory.

Cyber Angel Idaten - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV6 - (1600/2000)

"Because Idaten was Ritual Summoned, which counts as a Special Summon, her special ability activates, and I can add a Spell card from my Graveyard to my hand! I choose Ritual Weapon and equip it to Idaten, giving her Attack and Defense Points a 1500 power boost!"

Cyber Angel Idaten - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV6 - (3100/3500)

"And because this is a Tag Team duel, I can't attack, so I end my turn."

"My turn!~" sang Crowler. "Hmm...No Ancient Gear Golem...Oh well! I suppose this'll have to do! I summon Ancient Gear Knight in Attack Mode!"

Ancient Gear Knight - (EARTH/Machine/Gemini) - LV4 - (1800/500)

"Then, I suppose I'll simply set a card and end my turn."

"Okay, it's my turn!" said Elize. "I summon Magical Exemplar in Attack Mode!"

Magical Exemplar - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1700/1400)

"Next, I equip Wonder Wand to Magical Exemplar, granting her 500 extra Attack Points! Plus, her special ability activates! Each time a Spell card is activated, I can place 2 Spell Counters onto Magical Exemplar!"

Magical Exemplar - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (2200/1400)

"I set two cards facedown and end my turn!"

"Alright, time for my turn to shine!" said Atticus, who drew his card. "I activate the Spell, Stray Lambs, which summon 2 Lamb Tokens in Defense Mode, but that means I can't summon anymore Monsters this turn! That's fine with me!"

Lamb Token - (EARTH/Beast) - LV1 - (0/0) X2

"Because you activated a Spell, Magical Exemplar's effect activates, and she gains 2 more Spell Counters!" shouted Elize. "That makes a total of 4 Spell Counters!"

"Unfortunately, you won't have the chance to use those Spell Counters! I hate to harm a beautiful lady, but in order to win, you leave me no choice!" cried out Atticus. "My Panther Warrior's stronger than your Monster!"

"Yeah, but you still need to sacrifice a Monster in order to make him attack," reminded Alexis.

"Oh, Sis...Have you forgotten? Why did I use Stray Lambs? To use them as sacrifices, of course! I sacrifice one Stray Lamb in order to attack Elize's Monster!"

Realizing that Elize had two facedowns that could be potentially dangerous traps, Crowler shouted, "No, wait, Atticus! She might-"

"I activate my Trap card, Windstorm of Etaqua!" declared Elize. "Now the Monsters my opponent controls have to change their battle positions! That means Chancellor Crowler and Atticus' Monsters have to switch their Monsters into Defense Mode!"

"Nice one, Elize!" praised Alexis.

"Awww! And I was hoping to show off some more!" complained Atticus. "Guess I'll just end my turn now..."

"My turn!" said Alexis, deciding to take advantage of the opportunity Elize presented to her. "Cyber Angel Idaten, attack Panther Warrior, now!"

"I don't think so! I activate the Trap, Cursed Ring, and equip it to your Idaten! Now thanks to that ring, she can't ever destroy a Monster in battle!" cried out Atticus as a skull-like ring appeared onto Idaten's finger and caused her to stop attacking Panther Warrior.

"Um...wouldn't that still not be enough?" wondered Elize.

"Huh?"

"I mean, even if Idaten can no longer destroy Monsters, couldn't she still inflict damage?"

"...Oh, right. Cra-!"

Suddenly, Idaten dashed past Panther Warrior and smashed her fist up against Atticus, much to Alexis' amusement before backing away, being satisfied with her actions.

"Wait a minute," started Elize. "If Panther Warrior was in Defense Mode, why did she do that if his Life Points weren't going to drop?"

Alexis shrugged. "Meh, this is alright in my book. Just goes to show that Atticus is being taught a lesson."

"Oww...even if it was a hologram, that punch almost seemed real!" cringed Atticus.

"I think you've had enough, so I'll end my turn!" replied Alexis.

"My turn! And I sacrifice Ancient Gear Knight to Tribute Summon Ancient Gear Beast!" replied Crowler.

Ancient Gear Beast - (EARTH/Machine) - LV6 - (2000/2000)

"And then, I equip him with two Equip Spell cards, Ancient Gear Tank! He gains 600 extra Attack Points! And because he's equipped with two, it's a total of 1200!"

Ancient Gear Beast - (EARTH/Machine) - LV6 - (3200/2000)

"Magical Exemplar's effect activates twice! She gains 4 more Spell Counters and has a total of 8 Spell Counters!" said Elize.

"Who cares? That's enough to blast your Ritual Monster away!" shouted Crowler as Ancient Gear Beast was aiming his newly equipped tanks at Idaten. "Fire away!"

"I won't let you!" shouted Elize. "I activate my Trap-!"

"Oh, and there's something else I should mention! Ancient Gear Beast's ability! When he attacks, you can't activate any Spells or Traps! Goodbye!"

With a howl, Ancient Gear Beast fired away, defeating Idaten by shooting her down with his tank attacks.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 8000 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 7900 LP**

"I'm sorry, Alexis! I couldn't protect your Monster!" apologized Elize.

Alexis shook her head. "It's fine. There's nothing you could have done. Besides, I've got a whole bunch of strong Monsters waiting in my deck anyways."

"Hmph! I end my turn!" said Crowler, satisfied.

"My turn!" said Elize. "I now activate Magical Exemplar's special ability! Once per turn, I can remove any number of Spell Counters from her and Special Summon a Spellcaster from my hand or Graveyard whose Level is equal to the number of Spell Counters I removed! I remove all 8 Spell Counters to Special Summon the Level 8 Ice Master!"

Ice Master - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV8 - (2500/2000)

"What can she do? My Ancient Gear Beast is still stronger than any other Monster here!" reminded Crowler.

"I activate Ice Master's effect! She can place an Ice Counter on any Monster once per turn! I choose Ancient Gear Beast! Next, I Tribute Ice Master in order to destroy any Monster with an Ice Counter!"

Ice Master spread her arms, commanding a blizzard to take control as the blizzard froze Ancient Gear Beast and encased him completely in ice before Ice Master vanished, taking Ancient Gear Beast with her.

"Alexis, I did it! Now, Ancient Gear Beast won't bother us anymore!" cried out Elize happily.

"Yeah! Nice job!" praised Alexis.

Elize examined the field in front of her, knowing that in a Tag Team Duel, one cannot attack directly so long as their partner still has a Monster on their field, so if that was the case, she was going to have to take out the biggest threat right now; Panther Warrior.

"Magical Exemplar! Please attack Panther Warrior!" called out Elize. "And because none of my Monsters are inflicted with Cursed Ring, I can still destroy your Monster!"

Magical Exemplar pressed her palms forward and shot out a magic spell in the form of rock boulders that smashed through Panther Warrior and destroyed him.

"I end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" said Atticus before grinning. "This is just the card I need! I summon Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei in Attack Mode!"

Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (2300/0)

"And now, with Panther Warrior gone, the Continuous Spell, Spotlight, needs a new host, so I choose Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei, increasing his Attack Points by 300!"

Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (2600/0)

"Now attack that magician and do it with style!"

Launching himself forward, Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei lunged onto Magical Exemplar as she tried to protect herself with barrier magic, which shattered from the opponent Monster's attack before she was destroyed.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 8000 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 7500 LP**

"Unfortunately, because my Monster attacked, he has to switch to Defense Mode at the end of the Battle Phase and it can't be changed until the end of my next turn."

"Alexis, his Defense Points are 0! That means you might have a chance of defeating him on your next turn!" pointed out Elize.

"Yeah!" agreed Alexis, nodding her head. "Just leave it to me!"

"As if! I have a backup plan for something like this!" bragged Atticus. "I activate the Field Spell, Ultimate Stage Costume!"

Suddenly, the entire field was devoid of any sightings of the inside of a church and replaced by the dark settings of a stage with astral-like background additions. Cladded in a gigantic costume robe was Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei.

Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (5600/3000)

"What?!" The two girls exclaimed.

"Ha! That's right! My Monster gets a fabulous new look as well as a new power up thanks to the Field Spell I just activated!" explained Atticus. "All I have to do is select one Monster of my own, and he gets a glamorous 3000 Attack and Defense Point boost!"

"...Atticus?"

"Yes, Chancellor Cro-"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU USE THAT EARLIER BEFORE YOU ATTACKED?! THAT WAY, YOU WOULD HAVE DEALT MUCH MORE DAMAGE AND END THIS DUEL MUCH EASIER AND I WOULD HAVE MADE IT IN TIME FOR MY PEDICURE APPOINTMENT!"

Sweatdropping, Atticus chuckled and tried to calm down his superior Chancellor. "S-Sorry! But I had a really good reason! You see, the Monster affected by my Field Spell has to have his Attack and Defense Points return to normal during the Damage Step, so it would have been worthless either way. Anyways, I end my turn!"

Alexis sighed, wondering if she'll ever get used to her brother's ridiculous attitude. "My turn! Elize, would it be alright if I destroyed your facedown?"

"Huh? I was going to use it in case you needed more defensive power, but if you need to destroy it, I know it'll be for something good!" said Elize, granting her approval since the two trusted each other.

Alexis nodded. "Okay, I activate the Spell, Heavy Storm, destroying all of the Spells and Traps on the field so that means your Monster won't get the power up anymore, Atticus!"

With powerful winds flying across the entire field, the Field Spell vanished, bringing light back to the dueling field as everything returned to normal.

Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (2300/0)

"Now that that's done, I activate the Spell, Fulfillment of the Contract and equip it to my Idaten, Special Summoning her back to the field!"

Cyber Angel Idaten - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV6 - (1600/2000)

"Next, I play Machine Angel Ritual and sacrifice Idaten and Etoile Cyber from my hand in order to Ritual Summon a Level 8 Ritual Monster! Cyber Angel Dakini!"

Cyber Angel Dakini - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV8 - (2700/2400)

"Now when she's Special Summoned, you have to pick which Monster you want destroyed," Alexis told Atticus. "So, which'll it be?"

"Isn't it obvious? I pick my last Lamb Token, obvious!" replied Atticus as his Lamb Token disappeared.

"That's fine with me! Now, Cyber Angel Dakini, destroy his Monster!" ordered Alexis.

Twirling her weapons around, Dakini slashed at the Defense Mode Monster, utterly annihilating him since he had 0 Defense Points. He might as well be an open target with a red mark on his face.

"Now Dakini's effect activates!" said Alexis. "When she attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, she gets to inflict piercing Damage! Luckily for us, your Monster had 0, so you'll be dealing 2700 Points of Damage!"

 **Atticus and Crowler - 5300 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 7500 LP**

"Good! The two of them finally managed to do some damage!" said Bastion.

"I end my turn!" said Alexis.

"My draw!" Crowler said. _'Tch! I was planning on using that Trap earlier to Special Summon a Monster, but time for a new plan!'_ "I activate the Field Spell, Geartown!"

This time, the entire field caused dark clouds to darken the background as towers and gear-like machines rose upwards and towered over the four duelists. The machines began operating and working automatically as smoke and lights filled the field as well.

"Thanks to Geartown, any player can Tribute Summon Ancient Gear Monsters with 1 less Tribute than required!"

"Ugh, all this smoke and loud noises is blocking my spotlight!" complained Atticus.

Crowler smirked. "No need to worry, Atticus! It'll be gone real soon, because now I activate the Spell card, Ancient Gear Catapult! When I control no Monsters, all I must do is target 1 card I control, destroy it, and I get to Special Summon any Ancient Gear Monster from my deck, ignoring any Summoning conditions! I Special Summon my ace Monster, Ancient Gear Golem!"

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - 8 - (3000/3000)

"And when Geartown's destroyed, I can Special Summon another Ancient Gear Monster from my hand, deck, or Graveyard! Please welcome forth a new, powerful Monster of mine! Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon!"

Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon - (EARTH/Machine) - LV9 - (3000/3000)

"I've never seen that sort of Monster before!" cried out Alexis.

"That's because I've been improving my deck with the latest, new cards!" bragged Crowler.

Bastion gasped. "Oh no...this is really bad."

"Well, duh! Crowler has two new powerful Monsters! Of course it's going to be bad!" reminded Hassleberry.

Bastion shook his head. "No, no! There's more to it! I get why Atticus had Crowler as his Tag Team partner! It's because his deck is immune to Spells and Traps!"

"What do you mean?" wondered Syrus.

"Think about it! Atticus wanted to give Alexis a bit of a handicap, and he knew that she'd pick Elize because they trust each other! Plus, he's already seen how Elize duels several times, and he knows throughout his school years how Crowler's deck works. Had Atticus faced off against the two girls alone, he might have lost his Monsters to Elize's defensive Spells and Traps, but with Crowler on his side, it's like they're on even ground, only Atticus' team has more of an advantage!"

"Because Crowler's Monsters are immune to Spells and Traps!" gasped Syrus, understanding. "That is bad!"

"Now, Ancient Gear Golem! Smash Dakini to bits!" ordered Crowler.

Raising a fist, Ancient Gear Golem then brought it downwards, crushing Dakini under its weight before she was destroyed.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 5300 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 7200 LP**

"And now to get rid of that pesky Spellcaster! Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon, destroy her!"

Surging energy flowing through his veins and appearing at his jaws, Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon fired off an energy blast at Magical Exemplar, who was the next to go.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 5300 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 6400 LP**

Satisfied, Crowler finished with, "I suppose I'll set a card and end my turn!"

"My turn, draw!" said Elize. "I set a Monster and end my turn!"

Glancing over at Elize's field, Alexis thought, _'Knowing Elize, she might have put down Aussa the Earth Charmer, and her Flip effect allows her to take over any EARTH Attribute Monster! That means I gotta play my part in stalling for time for Elize!'_

"My turn!" said Atticus. _'I could always attack, but Elize always has high defensive Monster just waiting to go out and get me! Worse, it might be one of her Charmer Monsters, and they have the ability to take over any Monster, depending on the Attribute. I'll take my chances and just summon a Monster and wait for next turn to Tribute Summon it.'_ "I summon Vivid Knight in Attack Mode!"

Vivid Knight - (LIGHT/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (1700/800)

"And...I'll end my turn."

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" shrieked Crowler as Elize sighed in relief. "YOU COULD HAVE EASILY DESTROYED THEIR DEFENSES!"

"Hey, I didn't want to risk being beat by a higher defensive Monster and be humiliated in front of my fans!~" replied Atticus smoothly before grinning and waving at his fangirls.

Surprised, Elize thought, _'He didn't attack because he was afraid of my Monsters? Well, my Spellcasters do have high defense, and I kinda do play defensive tactics. But maybe I can work this to my advantage! At least, until my next turn!'_

"My turn!" said Alexis. "I play Pot of Greed, letting my draw two more cards! I activate the Spell, The Warrior Returning Alive, to bring back Etoile Cyber from my Graveyard! I fuse both her and Blade Skater with Polymerization! I Fusion Summon Cyber Blader!"

Alexis' beautiful and one and only Fusion Monster skied across the field before stopped in front of her master and her partner, ready for combat.

Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV7 - (2100/800)

"Now, Cyber Blader, destroy Vivid Knight!" ordered Alexis.

Rushing forward, Cyber slashed upwards using her skates as her main weapons, destroying the rabbit-like Monster.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 4900 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 6400 LP**

"I end my turn!" Alexis said confidently.

"Eeep! We're losing!" squeaked Crowler. "Not to worry! I've still got two very powerful Monsters! In fact, I draw! Now, I play my Trap, Ancient Gear Booster! Once per turn, if an Ancient Gear card I control inflicts damage to my opponent except by a direct attack, I can double that damage! And now, I'm targeting your Monster, Alexis! Ancient Gear Golem, destroy Cyber Blader!"

Ancient Gear Golem launched his fist forward to strike, but Cyber Blader smirked and slashed forward, destroying his iron fist and breaking him to pieces.

"MY ANCIENT GEAR GOLEM! WHAT HAPPENED?! WHA-?!"

Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV7 - (4200/800)

Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV7 - (2100/800)

 **Atticus and Crowler - 3700 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 6400 LP**

"It's my Cyber Blader's effect," explained Alexis. "When there is only 2 Monsters on my opponent's field, my Cyber Blader's Attack Points double!"

Seeing as he had only 1 Monster left, and wishing to avenge his ace Monster, Crowler shrieked, "Oh yeah?! Then my Reactor Dragon will finish your Monster off! That double Attack effect only applies when I have two Monsters left, right? But I have one, so that means my Monster will take your Monster down!"

Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon lunged forward and flapped his mechanical wings, sending strong winds at Cyber Blader.

"Because of Cyber Blader's effect, when there's one Monster on my opponent's side of the field, she can't be destroyed!" called out Alexis.

"But because of Ancient Gear Booster, the amount of damage is doubled!" reminded Crowler.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 3700 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 4600 LP**

"I end my turn!"

Alexis relaxed her shoulders, nodding at Elize. "It's all up to you now, Elize. You know what to do now, right?"

Elize nodded. "Of course! I draw! I Flip Summon Aussa the Earth Charmer!"

Aussa the Earth Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)

"And because of her Flip effect, I get to take control of one EARTH Attribute Monster my opponent has! And I choose Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon!"

"Noooo!" cried out Crowler, watching his precious Ancient Gear Monster fly over to Elize's side as Aussa was kneeling and chanting a spell with rocks hovering around her.

Allowing Elize to rub the side of his head affectionately, Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon purred softly before getting ready to stand besides his new temporary master's side. It was time to show his narcissistic owner some manners!

"Aussa and Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon! Attack the other team directly, please!" commanded Elize.

Releasing battle cries, both Monsters fired off their signature attacks; one of earth spikes, and one from a full-on dragon's breath.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 200 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 4600 LP**

"Whew...Still got some Life Points left," sighed Atticus.

"Not yet!" said Elize. "I activate the Spell, Magical Blast! For each Spellcaster I control, I get to inflict 200 Points of Damage to your Life Points!"

"But that's all we have left!"

Bored-looking, Aussa aimed her staff at the two male opponents and fired a large fireball-like blast, similar to Dark Magician's Dark Burning Attack.

 **Atticus and Crowler - 0 LP**

 **Alexis and Elize - 4600 LP**

 **Winner: Alexis and Elize**

"Awww! How could you throw our career away?" cried out Atticus, falling to his knees. "We would have been huge!"

"WE STILL LOVE YOU!" cheered Atticus' fangirls from the background.

With the duel finished, everyone applauded and cheered for such an amazing duel presented by the four duelists, though Atticus' fangirls did sob and cry at the defeat of their beloved Atticus.

"That was a great duel, sissy," congratulated Atticus. "You too, Elly!"

"T-Thank you, Atticus!" called out Elize.

"Yeah, thanks," agreed Alexis. "But stop calling me Sissy!"

Atticus nodded. "Fair enough. Anyway, I did all this because I thought it was the best for you. After all, you're my little sis, and I just want people to love ya."

"And that's exactly where I come in, guys!" said Chazz, suddenly getting in on their conversation. "I'll love her till death do us part! More than millions of screaming fans ever could!"

Thinking it wasn't the best time for Chazz to come and ruin things, Hassleberry and Syrus forcibly carried Chazz over their heads and dragged him away.

"I know you were just looking out for me," assured Alexis. "But I belong here with my friends!"

Come to think of it, among the group of friend Alexis has, Atticus hasn't seen Jaden in a while. In fact, he wasn't even here! "Speaking of friends, you're one short. Oh, yeah. Where's Jaden?"

Sadden upon hearing his name, Alexis proceeded to explain everything that happened. "Long story..."

* * *

 **Skit: Destiny Force**

"Okay, Jaden. I'm going to try something new with you, alright?" asked Elize, hoping this method might succeed. Ever since learning that Jaden could no longer speak to Duel Spirits or even see his cards, Elize grew concerned, and like the good friend she is, began research on how to return someone in such a state back to their ordinary self.

Jaden's condition was actually very rare and very unlike, even in the Duel Spirit World, but Elize's Duel Spirits promised to help out as much as they could. Unfortunately, they couldn't come up with anything, but decided to come up with a possible method.

That further explains why the two of them were kneeling in Elize's room with the curtains down and candles lighting up the room as Elize clasped her arms in a prayer-like manner with her eyes closed as Jaden just sat down with a bored look. He understood why Elize was helping him, but he doubt this could work.

Nodding to each other, the spiritually strongest in Elize's deck, which so happened to be Elemental Mistress Doriado, Mystical Elf, and Dark Magician Girl, gathered around a circle and clasped hands with each other, focusing their energies onto Jaden to restore him back to normal.

The second they did, however, they were immediately overwhelmed by a strange and abnormal power within Jaden that blocked out their attempt to save him, throwing them across the room.

Gasping, Elize stood up, ceasing the purification ritual her Duel Spirits told her to set up as she opened the curtains to shed light on the room. "Oh no! What happened?!"

 _ **"I'm okay..."**_ assured Dark Magician Girl as she checked over to Mystical Elf and Doriado. _**"They're fine, too. But...when we tried to purify Jaden, something bad happened. Elize, I don't think we should try that again. It'll just make things worse."**_

Nodding, Elize turned to Jaden. "Jaden...I'm sorry. I don't think this is going to work."

Sighing, Jaden got up. "Yeah, I figured it wouldn't. I guess I should at least thank you by cleaning up the mess, anyways."

* * *

 **Skit: Trio Idol Team**

"By the way, Atticus?" wondered Elize. "I have a question. It's about the Tag Team duel we had earlier."

"Hmm? What is it?" asked Atticus. "No need to be shy, El!~"

"Um...Well, you own a Dragon deck, don't you? And...I guessed that because of when you became Nightshroud that one time. Er...! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to trigger any bad memories!"

Atticus shook his head. "It's fine! No worries! But yeah, I do have a Dragon deck. Why?"

"I was wondering...why didn't you use it during the duel?"

Alexis grew interested in the topic. "Yeah, why didn't you? Last I checked, you had a Red-Eyes Black Dragon deck!"

"Well...because the fans would think it's scary!" replied Atticus. "It's no good going all out like that, and dragons are scary and for bad ratings!"

"...So basically, you were holding out on us because of public appearance?!" scowled Alexis. "No wonder I felt suspicious of your deck! I thought you were trying out some new cards!"

"I was! And it was awesome! If I won, then we would have been the ultimate trio team!"

"...Trio what?" wondered Alexis and Elize.

"The Trio Team! Still working on the name!" replied Atticus. "It would be me, the handsome one! Alexis, the beauty of the team! And then Elize, the cute and youngest one of all!"

"Hold on! I didn't agree to any of that!" cried out Elize.

"Yeah, I thought it was only a duo team!" reminded Alexis. "Don't drag Elize into your troubles!"

"But that's just it!" said Atticus. "I noticed you guys were like sisters to each other, and any sister-like friend to my little sis is a sister-like friend to me, too! Plus, Elize is perfect for the third member! She's cute, sweet, and the youngest one of us all!"

"...Just to be clear, Atticus, I don't have a crush on you," admitted Elize, backing away a little.

"Well, whatever schemes you had, it's already over! We had a deal, remember?" said Alexis.

Atticus sighed. "I know...It's such a shame! Oh, well!"

* * *

 **Finished! Yeah! Read and review, please!~**


	36. Hunting Hassle!

**Alright, this isn't an episode story, but a Tag Force chapter story! I mean, all the chapters are practically Tag Force anyways, but this is different! Why? You'll see!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Today was a peaceful Saturday for Elize as she was laying her head on her desk with mechanical parts and tools scattered about along with a small blueprint. She had stayed up all night working on a new invention after finding some blueprints in Banner's room after performing her daily cleaning chores. Being a bit of an average level mechanic, she started to getting to work on the new invention.

By the time she finished, it was already midnight, but she was too exhausted to get to bed properly and before long, blackness invaded her vision, so she had to sleep near her desk. This wasn't the first time she spent time fixing things and recreating inventions, though she was more proper towards the fixing than the recreating.

She may have also forgot to lock her door last night, which is also how Hassleberry came inside so easily.

"Elize! Soldier! Get up! I need you for something!" called out Hassleberry, walking inside and shaking her shoulders. When Elize didn't respond, he took out a small megaphone from his pocket and yelled right in her ear. **"Wake up! Hut, two, three, four! Hut, two, three, four!"**

"Waah!" Elize cried out, falling off her seat. "I'm awake! I'm awake! ...Hassleberry? Good morning! I mean, what are you doing here?"

Putting away his megaphone, Hassleberry stood proudly as he said, "Ah, you're awake! Finally! Morning, Elize! Today I heard an interesting rumor! It appears that there's a legendary card lying around this island somewhere! Elize, let's go look for some legendary dinosaur card together! If we find one, my deck will be even stronger!"

"Um...I can help, but what about the others?" asked Elize.

"Alexis is helping Truesdale with his dueling skills somewhere in the forest, Bastion's studying something, and Chazz...well, he's still a lunatic saying stuff like the Society of Light or something," replied Hassleberry. "So, you're pretty much the only one I can turn to. My Tyranno team members are also busy, by the way."

"Oh, okay," said Elize, picking up the invention she's been working on for a while. "Then, it's a good thing I finished this."

"What is it? Isn't that a metal detector?" wondered Hassleberry. "I may not the brightest bulb in the room, but even I know that cards are made of paper, not metal."

"I mean, it is a metal detector, or rather, something similar to it, but this is a different detector," stated Elize. "This detector can detect small things buried underground! I mean, I haven't really tested it yet, but coincidentally, this might be good for the card searching task."

"That's even great!" said Hassleberry; his eyes suddenly pierced. "Do you feel that? My dino senses are tingling! It's leading me somewhere! Haha! This oughta be fun! Come on, follow me!"

"Huh? Wait a minute, Hassleberry! At least let me get ready!" called out Elize as Hassleberry ran off. Sighing, she quickly grabbed what she needed, stuffing them in her backpack before heading out and following after the energetic boy.

Eventually, the two of them landed somewhere around the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm in the garden section. Hassleberry immediately pulled out a shovel from the nearby garden warehouse and began digging.

"Come on! Let's start digging!" encouraged Hassleberry.

"Hold on, Hassleberry!" cried out Elize. Oh, this was bad! They weren't allowed here unless given permission, and now they were totally ruining property! The best plan was to find the card as soon as possible, put dirt back in the holes, and then get out of here! Using her detector, she walked around, trying to find the card.

Just as she was about to receive a signal, two Obelisk Blue girls, Mindy and Jasmine, spotted the two.

"Hey, you two! What are you guys doing in the girl's dorm garden?!" questioned Jasmine angrily.

Seeing Hassleberry, Mindy suspected he must be up to something bad. "Eek! A pervert?! A peeping tom?! Help! Help!"

Ceasing his digging activity, Hassleberry dropped his shovel and shook his head. "N-No! You've got the wrong idea!"

The Obelisk Blue girls' cries reached out to a couple other Obelisk Blue girls, who surrounded but Hassleberry and Elize, preventing them from leaving as Mindy rushed to get the head of the female Obelisk Blue dorm, Fontaine. Both Hassleberry and Elize quickly explained their predicament and what they were trying to accomplish.

"Oh, I see. Next time, get permission, ok?" spoke Fontaine, easily forgiving them. Knowing the two as Jaden's close friends and seeing that they were telling the truth, Fontaine never suspected they did anything wrong.

"Y-Yes, ma'am. I'm truly sorry about this," apologized Hassleberry.

"Me too! We're sorry!" Elize also apologized.

With all things said and done, Hassleberry turned to Elize with a grin. "Well then, let's get back to digging!"

Unfortunately, Mindy and Jasmine still weren't satisfied. "Hold on! This is totally backwards! Anything you find at the girl's dorm belongs to us!"

"Yeah, totally," agreed Mindy. "It's technically ours, you know."

Hassleberry seemed to be in a bit of a conflict there. "I-I never thought about that...but, finders keepers!"

That comment further angered Jasmine. "Get out if you're going to be like that! We'll dig!"

Annoyed, Hassleberry argued, "Oh, come on! I'm the one who found the digging spot!"

"Uh, yeah. But it's totally part of the girls' dorm. Hello?" reminded Mindy, getting into the tensed conversation.

Elize, being the only neutral one out of the four, tried to calm down her friends. "Um...guys? Can't we just settle this through and just share the cards? There might be more than one card hiding, and we could-"

"NO!" yelled Mindy, Jasmine, and Hassleberry, causing Elize to shrink back and cringe.

"I'm sorry!"

Sighing, Fontaine decided to put an end to all this nonsense. "Oh, what a mess. Okay, let's do this. How about we settle this with a Tag Duel? Elize and Hassleberry vs Jasmine and Mindy. Whoever wins gets to dig here."

"There ya go! We'll duel anyone we need to!" Hassleberry agreed. He needed to take his frustration out on someone, and what better than the two girls who annoyed him just now?

"Bring it on!" agreed Jasmine. "We're ready for you anytime!"

Elize sighed. "I was hoping to avoid anymore fighting, but okay. I guess a duel's not that bad."

Making way and space for the four duelists to duel against each other, the rest of the Obelisk Blue girls cheered for Mindy and Jasmine, who waved at them. The four duelists activated their duel disks at the same time and proceeded to duel.

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 8000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jasmine and Mindy - 8000 LP**

"My turn!" said Elize. "I set a Monster facedown and end my turn!"

"My turn!" Jasmine said. "I know just what to do!~ I summon my all-powerful Birdface to the field before ending my turn!"

Birdface - (WIND/Winged Beast) - LV4 - (1600/1600)

"Then it's my turn!" Hassleberry said. "By discarding Destroyersaurus from my hand to the Graveyard, I can add 1 Jurassic World from my deck to my hand! Then, I summon Giant Rex to the field!"

Giant Rex - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV4 - (2000/1200)

"And why not boost up his power with a special Field Spell I like to call Jurassic World? Here goes!"

Much to the girls' surprise, the entire playing field changed from an elegant garden of flowers towards a field of plain grass with mountains, rocks, and a volcano around the middle of it all.

"Thanks to Jurassic World, all Dinosaur-Type Monsters gain 300 Attack and Defense Points!"

Giant Rex - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV4 - (2300/1500)

"With that done, I'm done with my turn as well!"

"Me next!~" sang Mindy. "Ooh! I just know what to do! I'll set a Monster and end my turn!"

"It's back to me!" Elize said, drawing her card.

Hassleberry nodded, thinking, _'Alright, she'll just whip out one of her Flip Summons and then take over Birdface, leaving only Mindy's Monster!'_

"I Flip Summon Gigobyte to the field!"

Gigobyte - (WATER/Reptile) - LV1 - (350/300)

"Awwww! So cute!~" squealed Mindy and Jasmine.

"Hey! What is that?!" shouted Hassleberry. "I thought that was a Charmer Monster! What gives?!"

"I'm sorry, but I wanted to try something new with my deck," apologized Elize. "But don't worry! I'll still give you support with my healing and defensive Spells and Traps!"

Turning around, Gigobyte was giving off the cute puppy-dog eyes expression to Hassleberry and seeing how cute he was looking and the fact that he couldn't be mad at reptiles, who were similar to dinosaurs, Hassleberry groaned. "Alright, alright! Just finish your turn!"

"Not yet!" said Elize, focusing back on the battle. "I sacrifice Gigobyte in order to summon Giga Gagagigo!"

Giga Gagagigo - (WATER/Reptile) - LV5 - (2450/1500)

Upon arriving at the playing field, Giga Gagagigo growled, causing the two female Obelisk Blues to shiver at the sight of a scary Monster. Elize gulped, knowing the backstory of Giga Gagagigo. He may be restricted by the magic of dueling, but she can't control his aggressive battle style when it came to the Battle Phase.

Elize shouted, "Giga Gagagigo, attack Birdface, please!"

Not wasting any time, Giga Gagagigo charged forward, leaving deep footprints in his trail before grabbing ahold of Birdface as he tried to flap away, only to shriek upon being bit and torn apart.

"That's enough! Come back!" called out Elize, ceasing more of the fight since Birdface was about to be sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle anyways. No need to add salt to the wound, anyways.

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 8000 LP**

 **Jasmine and Mindy - 7150 LP**

"Oh, yeah! When Birdface's sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, I can add Harpie Lady from my deck to my hand and then shuffle my deck!" added Jasmine.

"I set a card and end my turn," Elize said. _'Looks like he still needs some controlling. Miss Doriado and Mystical Elf were right, he is really hard to control.'_

"My turn!" Jasmine said. "Sweet! I discard Harpie Queen from my hand to the Graveyard to add Harpies' Hunting Ground from my deck to my hand! I summon Harpie Lady in Attack Mode!"

Harpie Lady - (WIND/Winged Beast) - LV4 - (1300/1400)

"Ooh! I can't wait to try this one out! The Spell, Elegant Egotist! Because I have Harpie Lady on the field, I can Special Summon the Harpie Lady Sisters from my deck!"

Harpie Lady Sisters - (WIND/Winged Beast) - LV6 - (1950/2100)

"Now I play Harpies Hunting Ground, a cool Field Spell!"

The entire field summoned forth strong winds enough for Jurassic World to crumble away and revert the field back to its original form, except with more wind around.

"Noo! My Jurassic World's gone!" cried out Hassleberry. That meant none of his Dinosaur-Types could get the power boost they needed!

Giant Rex - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV4 - (2000/1200)

"With Harpies Hunting Ground out on the field, all Winged Beast Monsters gain 200 more Attack and Defense Points!" said Jasmine, trying to recall the effects of the Field Spell. "Sweet!"

Harpie Lady - (WIND/Winged Beast) - LV4 - (1500/1600)

Harpie Lady Sisters - (WIND/Winged Beast) - LV6 - (2150/2300)

"Oh yeah! There was one more effect! If any Harpie Lady or Harpie Lady Sisters were Normal or Special Summoned, I could target a Spell/Trap card on the field and...destroy it...whoops. Should have done that earlier. Oh, well."

"Still, you did pretty good!" said Mindy. "With you on my side, there's nothing we can't accomplish! Plus, Alexis did teach us to duel properly, so...there was that, too."

 _'I'm guessing those two were amateurs before Alexis intervened,'_ thought Hassleberry. _'Wait, what am I saying?! Now my Monster's weaker than that Harpie Sisters Monster!'_

"Now I'm going to attack!" proclaimed Jasmine. "Harpie Lady Sisters, do your stuff and destroy that weird Dinosaur thing!"

"Not so fast!" shouted Elize. "I activate Negate Attack and defend Giant Rex, thus cancelling the Battle Phase!"

"Drats! Well, nothing else I can do right now but end my turn."

"Nice one, soldier! Thanks for the backup!" thanked Hassleberry. "Okay, my turn! I sacrifice my dinosaur in order to Tribute Summon Dark Driceratops!"

Dark Driceratops - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV6 - (2400/1500)

"Now Dark Driceratops, destroy Harpie Lady Sisters! Crush them!"

Rushing ahead, Dark Driceratops leapt high despite his heavy weighted body and slammed onto the three Winged Beast sisters, crushing them under his weight.

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 8000 LP**

 **Jasmine and Mindy - 6900 LP**

"No! And I worked so hard to summon those sisters," whined Jasmine.

"I just set two cards and end my turn!"

"Ooh! Ooh! My turn!" said Mindy. "I Flip Summon A Cat of Ill Omen! All I have to do is select a Trap card from my deck and place it on top of my deck! Ooh! I summon Mecha-Dog Marron in Defense Mode!"

A Cat of Ill Omen - (DARK/Beast) - LV2 - (500/300)

Mecha-Dog Marron - (LIGHT/Machine) - LV4 - (1000/1000)

"Then, I play Pot of Greed and draw two sweet cards!~ Okay, I end my turn by setting a card facedown!"

"My turn," said Elize. "I-"

 _ **"Mistress! I insist that you allow me to destroy the pathetic weaklings this instance!"**_ growled Giga Gagagigo.

"Not with that attitude! Miss Doriado and Mystical Elf and everyone else warned me-"

 _ **"Why listen to those old hags?! Just send me into battle before I return to the Spirit World and crush everyone else!"**_

"B-but the others will stop-"

 _ **"I can easily crush 10 or so weaklings before they seal me away again! But I can prevent from doing that if you allow me into combat this instant!"**_

"O-Okay!" Not wishing for any havoc in the Duel Spirit World, Elize complied quickly. "Then, please attack Harpie Lady!"

 _ **"At last!"**_ Jumping high in the air, Giga Gagagigo prepared to slice Harpie Lady into bits.

"I'll protect your Monster, Jasmine!" promised Mindy. "I activate the Trap, Mirror Force to destroy that gross Monster!"

Just as Giga Gagagigo was about to land near Harpie Lady, a force field knocked him back and shot a beam through his chest, destroying him.

 _'...I just hope he isn't too mad,'_ thought Elize. "I set a Monster and end my turn."

"Yay! I did it! My turn!" said Mindy. "Hmm...I guess I'll switch all my cute Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn!"

"Finally, my turn!" said Hassleberry. "I activate my Continuous Trap, Fossil Excavation! I just discard one card and Special Summon 1 Dinosaur-Type Monster from my Graveyard, but his effects are negated! I Special Summon Giant Rex!"

Giant Rex - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV4 - (2000/1200)

"Alrighty! Now it's time! I sacrifice my two Monsters to summon Black Tyranno!"

Black Tyranno - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV7 - (2600/1800)

"I activate the Trap, Survival of the Fittest and equip it to Black Tyranno, giving him 1000 extra Attack Points!"

Black Tyranno - (EARTH/Dinosaur) - LV7 - (3600/1800)

"Now devour Harpie Lady, Black Tyranno!"

Black Tyranno roared and marched forward, gobbling up Harpie Lady, much to the disgust of the others as they watched such a horrendous scene.

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 8000 LP**

 **Jasmine and Mindy - 4800 LP**

"And now another effect of Survival of the Fittest kicks in!" explained Hassleberry. "Because my Monster destroyed a Monster and sent it to the Graveyard, he can make a second attack! And now Black Tyranno's effect activates! When there's only Monsters left in Defense Mode on my opponent's side of the field, he can make a direct attack!"

"Whart?!" cried out Jasmine and Mindy.

"Crush those two gals!" cried out Hassleberry. "It's not proper for me to hurt girls, but you two kinda annoyed me, and I've been meaning to take my anger out, so...GET THEM!"

Pushing past Mindy's Defense Mode Monsters, Black Tyranno whirled around, slapping both Jasmine and Mindy aside with his tail before returning.

"Ow!"

"That hurt!"

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 8000 LP**

 **Jasmine and Mindy - 1200 LP**

"Okay, now I'm happy! I end my turn!" said Hassleberry.

"Oh, no! We're almost out of Life Points! I gotta turn things around!" said Mindy. "My turn! No, no! It's no good! I...end my turn."

"Hey, you could have attacked Elize's Monster!" said Jasmine. "Oh wait, then we'd have to deal with that dinosaur thing."

"It doesn't matter! When it's my turn again, me and my dino will be delighted to crush ya again!" said Hassleberry.

"My turn!" said Elize. "I activate Monster Reborn and revive Gigobyte!"

Gigobyte - (WATER/Reptile) - LV1 - (350/300)

"I Flip Summon Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness!"

Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness - (EARTH/Beast) - LV2 - (400/600)

"Then, I summon Happy Lover to the field!"

Happy Lover - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV2 - (800/500)

"Then, I play the Spell, Thousand Energy! With this Spell, I can increase the original Attack and Defense Points of all Level 2 Normal Monster by 1000 Points until the end of this turn!"

Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness - (EARTH/Beast) - LV2 - (1400/1600)

Happy Lover - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV2 - (1800/1500)

"Happy Lover and Archfiend, please attack Mindy's two Monsters!"

Releasing battle cries, Happy Lover and Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness sprung into action, tackling the other two Monsters down and defeating them with their newfound strength.

"Mecha-Dog Marron's effect activates!" said Mindy. "When he's destroyed by battle, we both receive 1000 Points of Damage!"

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 7000 LP**

 **Mindy and Jasmine - 200 LP**

"Alright! Gigobyte, please finish this off!"

Gigobyte nodded and trotted over to Mindy and Jasmine...before biting their legs.

"Ow!" Both girls cried out, flinching from the pain.

 **Elize and Hassleberry - 7000 LP**

 **Mindy and Jasmine - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Elize and Hassleberry**

"We did it! We won! High-five!" cheered Hassleberry, giving Elize a high-five.

"Awww! We lost!" whined Jasmine.

"Sorry, everyone!" apologized Mindy to the audience.

Fontaine was just relieved that this whole card problem was over. "What a shame. Still, a deal's a deal. If you find the card, it's yours. But you have to show it to everyone, okay?"

"Will do! Well, what are we waiting for, Elize? Let's dig!" said Hassleberry, picking up the shovel he dropped earlier as everyone but Jasmine and Mindy left.

Elize started to scan the area first before an alarm she installed onto the detector began beeping loudly, alerting Elize. "Hassleberry! The detector's found something! I think it's right here!"

"Really? Alright, I'm gonna start digging!" Abandoning the hole he was previously digging, he rushed over to where Elize was at and started digging rapidly. "Yeah! I'm gonna use my dino-power to dig faster!"

Elize stood back and watched alongside Mindy and Jasmine as Hassleberry continued digging deeper and deeper until he hit something solid. "Hey, did he find something?" wondered Jasmine, hearing the thunk sound.

"Hehe, that was easy! Is this the legendary card?" Hassleberry climbed out of the hole he created with the box under his armpit before proceeding to open it. Inside was...

A Monster card known as Goblin Calligrapher.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Mindy, let's go finish our makeup inside," sighed Jasmine.

"Yeah, I was dumb to believe there was actually a legendary card," said Mindy before the two girls left, leaving Hassleberry and Elize alone.

"Hassleberry? Are you alright?" asked Elize towards Hassleberry, who was both silent and trembling; traits unlike him. "You've been quiet for-"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" sobbed Hassleberry. "I-I actually thought there was a legendary card! Instead, there wasn't!"

Unsure how to comfort him, Elize did the best she could by rubbing his back. "There, there. Do you want some tea back in my room?"

"*sniff* Yes..."

"But, could you help me refill these holes first before we do that?"

"Okay..."

* * *

 **Skit: Legendary Guesses**

"Hassleberry, hold on!" pleaded Elize, managing to catch up to Hassleberry. "How do you even know it's going to be a dinosaur card? For all we know, it could be anything else!"

"I just know it! My dino senses never failed me before! They helped me out in tight situations!" replied Hassleberry.

"Like...what?"

"Well, on a multiple choice quiz I took once, I wanted to do Answer C, but my dino senses told me that I should pick B. The real answer was A, but if I picked C, then I would have failed! Then there was that time when I ate a hotdog! There were three choices; expired mustard, regular ketchup, and barbeque sauce. I wanted to try out the mustard because it was my favorite, but my senses told me to choose the ketchup. I ate it, but I didn't like it. Come to think of it, I could have chosen the barbeque sauce."

Elize sweatdropped. _'I...really don't think those are admirable traits, Hassleberry.'_

* * *

 **Skit: Duel Stories**

"By the way, you said you were trying out a new deck?" asked Hassleberry.

"Not exactly. I'm still going to stick to my Spellcaster Monsters, but I haven't tried out the familiars of my Charmers," said Elize.

"Familiar? Familiar with what?"

"Familiar doesn't just have to mean that. They have another word, like servant or something like that. Besides, I have some...trouble with a certain Monster, but it's nothing too much to worry about, considering his backstory."

"I'm confused," said Hassleberry.

"Well, behind every Duel Monster card, there's a story behind them," said Elize. "I could tell you the whole story of Gagagigo when we have tea."

"Sure!"

* * *

 **Yup! You guessed it! Just in case you guys were wondering, the Monsters Elize summoned were either the evolved version of the low-leveled Monsters, or the familiars belonging to the Charmers. If you look carefully at the Charmer Monster cards, you can see a secondary Monster besides each one. I figured their familiars need an introduction!**

 **Anyways, read and review!**


	37. Destined Fortunes

**Okay! So, this will be Elize's official first fight with the Society of Light! Kinda, if you count a robot, but then again, this is Yu-Gi-Oh, so a lot of things don't make sense.**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

Sartorius was once again in the middle of his fortune telling sessions, having drawn four cards from his tarot deck onto the white clothed table as his psychic senses were telling him to do so.

The four cards before him symbolized the Priestess, the Fool, Judgement, and Death. Recently, all of Sartorius' predictions involved the Fool, which represented Jaden, along with the Priestess, but unfortunately, he couldn't find the candidate that held the Priestess Arcana.

 _'Hmm...This prediction is telling me that the Priestess will soon be going into a duel involving life or death, but at the same time, someone must be judging her movements. Perhaps now would be a good time to pay Duel Academy a visit,'_ thought Sartorius. _'Even if I don't meet the Priestess there, eventually, our paths will cross. It is destiny's calling, after all.'_

* * *

"Syrus? Hassleberry? Where are you?" called out Elize, wandering around the forest and trying to track down her friends.

This all happened because of some bet between Hassleberry and Syrus. Both dueled each other a few days ago to see who would obtain the title of being Jaden's best friend, which Syrus won, but not before everyone discovered he hasn't eaten or slept much because he was concerned for Jaden's disappearance. Since then, Hassleberry basically had to do everything Syrus said and the two often went out scouting when they had the time. Feeling up for it, Elize sometimes joined them in their quest, helping Hassleberry carry some of the bags, which he gratefully appreciated.

But now, the three of them got separated and lost along the way, and now Elize was trying to find them before anything bad happened.

Eventually, she made it all the way to a large clearing, but what seemed out of place was a crater on the ground along with a UFO-like object inside. Before she could question it further, a Duel Robot emerged from the UFO object, forcing Elize to back away cautiously.

 **"Dangerous duelist confirmed! Threat to Society of Light! Targeting duel now!"** beeped the Duel Robot, activating its duel disk.

"W-what?!" wondered Elize, confused and wondering what to do. Clearly, this Duel Robot was dangerous, but should she actually accept a duel from it or not?

Suddenly, the Duel Robot shot lasers from its eyes, burning and knocking down a tree, which landed on some sandy grounds. Lucky that it did, otherwise the burning tree would have tapped other trees and start a forest fire.

But this just further confirmed that Elize needed to do. Or rather, being forced to.

"Okay, okay! I'll duel! I'll duel!" cried out Elize, dropping her backpack to grab her duel disk from inside. At least this way, she won't be fried to death!

Just before the duel could begin, Sartorius, who was minding his own business and taking a peaceful stroll in the forest, saw a burning tree fall down and decided to check out the situation. Much to his surprise, he saw a familiar Duel Robot belonging to the Society of Light about to face off against a Slifer Red girl with a red hat.

 _'Curious...The only female students in this school are the ones in the Obelisk Blue rank, but I see a girl in a Slifer Red male uniform. Could she possibly be the Priestess? And she's facing off against one of the members of the Society of Light! I must witness this duel!'_ thought Sartorius, hiding behind some trees.

"Duel!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Elize - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Duel Robot - 4000 LP**

"My turn!" said Elize. "I play Polymerization and fuse Dharc the Dark Charmer with Storming Wynn in order to Fusion Summon Venefictia the Poison Charmer!"

Garbed in a ragged dark cloak while wearing a gothic dress and other dark accessories such as a witch's hat, gloves, and boots, Venefictia grinned as she took her daggers and licked the tips of them sadistically.

Venefictia the Poison Charmer - (DARK/Spellcaster/Fusion) - LV7 - (2500/0)

"Then, I summon Miracle Flipper in Defense Mode and end my turn!"

Miracle Flipper - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (300/500)

 **"My turn. I draw,"** spoke the Duel Robot. **"I summon Fencing Fire Ferret in Attack Mode."**

Fencing Fire Ferret - (FIRE/Beast) - LV4 - (1700/600)

 **"Then, I shall activate two Spell cards at the same time. Both are Ookazi, and they will both inflict 800 Points of Damage each to your Life Points directly!"**

Elize yelped as flames swirled around and surrounded her in a ring of fire, but even though she could feel the overwhelming heat from the fires, both Venefictia and Miracle Flipper protected her using their magic to prevent her from burning to death, even though her Life Points would take a hit.

 **Elize - 2400 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 4000 LP**

"Thank you, Venefictia and Miracle Flipper!" thanked Elize.

 _ **"Heh! It was nothing! I can easily block weak flames like this any day!"**_ spoke Venefictia before licking her lips. _**"Mmm...But it would be fun seeing my foes cowering and screaming in pain as I burn them!~"**_

 _ **"Yeah, we're not doing that,"**_ commented Miracle Flipper, annoyed.

 _'Interesting...'_ thought Sartorius. _'It seems that this girl not only has the power to see Duel Spirits just like Jaden, but her Duel Spirits must have a strong bond with her to protect her using their powers like that. Either this girl has a strong spiritual connection to make that happen, or they're doing it out of their own free will.'_

 **"I will now attack using Fencing Fire Ferret, and I will destroy Miracle Flipper,"** commanded the Duel Robot.

Rushing forward and then spin dashing into a wheel of fire, Fencing Fire Ferret destroyed Miracle Flipper with ease using his physical fire strength.

"Because Miracle Flipper was destroyed in battle, he's Special Summoned to your side of the field at the end of the Battle Phase!" shouted Elize.

Miracle Flipper - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (300/500)

 **"Very well. I activate the Continuous Spell, Toll. From now on, each player must pay 500 Life Points in order to declare an attack. Turn end."**

 _ **"Oh, I get it now! This guy focuses on a Burn deck! Elize, we totally gotta get rid of him! But make sure it's quick and painful!"**_ crackled Venefictia.

"Don't you mean 'quick and painless?'" corrected Elize.

 _ **"Oh, you know what I meant!"**_

Elize shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, my turn! Now I summon Maha Vailo in Attack Mode!"

Maha Vailo - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1550/1400)

"Now, please destroy Fencing Fire Ferret, Veneticia!"

 **"The effect of Toll activates! You must pay 500 Life Points if you wish to proceed with your attack!"**

It was certainly a price to pay, but worth it if it meant destroying the opponent's Monster, so Elize nodded in agreement.

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 4000 LP**

Veneticia wielded her daggers as she flew towards Fencing Fire Ferret, striking him down with a couple of slashes that brought him down and bought enjoyment and excitement to the Spellcaster after destroying him.

 **Elize - 1900 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 3200 LP**

 **"Fencing Fire Ferret's effect activates,"** said the Duel Robot. **"When it is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I am allowed to target one Monster on the opponent's field and destroy it, and then deal 500 Points of Damage to you directly. I choose to destroy Veneticia the Poison Charmer."**

 _ **"No, no, no! DAMNIT-!"**_ Before Veneticia could do anything, she exploded simply by being a target, and since she was near Elize, Elize was hit with part of the explosion as well.

 **Elize - 1400 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 3200 LP**

"Oof!" Elize fell to the ground, somewhat hurt but still alright as Maha Vailo slightly turned his head towards her.

 _ **"Mistress, are you alright?"**_

Elize nodded. "I'm okay! Please prepare to attack, Maha Vailo, and don't worry about me. I pay 500 Life Points to bypass Toll's requirements and then attack directly with Maha Vailo!"

At the same time of Elize's Life Point cost, Maha Vailo struck down lightning from above towards the Duel Robot, messing up a bit of its circuits.

 **Elize - 900 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 1650 LP**

Elize sighed, knowing she took a huge risk by reducing her Life Points just to damage the enemy, but if there are some things she's learned while dueling, it's that sometimes, you have to take risks in order to accomplish something big. "I end my turn!"

 **"My turn. I draw,"** said the Duel Robot. **"I shall summon Stealth Bird in Attack Mode."**

Stealth Bird - (DARK/Winged Beast) - LV3 - (700/1700)

 **"I pay 500 Life Points in order to declare an attack and activate the Quick-Play Spell, Ego Boost to give Stealth Bird 1000 extra Attack Points until the end of the Battle Phase."**

 **Elize - 900 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 1150 LP**

Stealth Bird - (DARK/Winged Beast) - LV3 - (1700/1700)

The enhanced bird shrieked before pecking Maha Vailo violently until the Spellcaster vanished, leaving Elize completely defenseless.

 **Elize - 750 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 1150 LP**

 **"End turn."**

Stealth Bird - (DARK/Winged Beast) - LV3 - (700/1700)

Noting how close she is at defeat, Elize still had confidence in herself and drew her card. "I draw! And I play Raigeki, destroying all the Monsters you have!"

With just one large jolt of thunder from above the clouds, all of the Duel Robot's Monsters were literally shocked and then disappeared at the same time. Elize decided to make a mental note of apologizing to Miracle Flipper later. For now, she had a duel to finish.

"I summon Gagagigo in Attack Mode! Now, I pay 500 Life Points and declare Gagagigo to attack you directly, please!"

Gagagigo - (WATER/Reptile) - LV4 - (1850/1000)

 **Elize - 750 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 1150 LP**

Roaring, Gagagigo lashed out and slashed at the Duel Robot, making it a scrap of trash and unusable before it exploded from all the damage it sustained after losing the duel.

 **Elize - 750 LP**

 **Duel Robot - 0 LP**

 **Winner: Elize**

 _'Incredible,'_ thought Sartorius, watching Elize poke the destroyed pieces of the Duel Robot with a stick. _'Was this what fate had brought me to? Perhaps I can use this to my advantage for my biggest scheme yet. I shouldn't introduce myself to her. At least, not yet. It's best for me to have all the advantages I can get, so perhaps I'll have to observe this girl even more just as I do with Jaden.'_

With that plan in motion, Sartorius snuck into the shadows of the forest, slipping away without a hint of noise detected.

"Just what was that all about?" wondered Elize, deciding that the Duel Robot no longer posed a threat towards her or anyone else now that it's disabled.

Doriado suddenly appeared near Elize with a troubled expression on her face. _**"Perhaps I can explain everything. But, Elize...this may include the fate the world as we know it and it is an awful, terrible burden. Believe me, if I could, I would not wish this upon you."**_

"What do you mean? The world is in danger again? But me and Jaden and everyone else defeated the Shadow Riders and Kagemaru last year, remember?" said Elize.

Doriado nodded. _**"Yes, but this is a completely different threat. For starters...You know how there is er...ketchup? What is the opposite of that?"**_

"Mustard?"

 _ **"Yes, and what is the opposite of fire?"**_

"Water?"

 _ **"Exactly. Not my very best examples, but we'll have to start from there. You see, Elize, everything must have a balance. Night must have day, ketchup must have mustard, and fire must have water. Everything must have a connection and balance or else everything will be off balance and will disrupt the rule. It's one of the universal worlds here. And right now, that balance is being threatened by the upcoming force known as the Society of Light."**_

"What are the Society of Light?" asked Elize.

 _ **"They are...basically a cult. They are influenced by a greater evil known as the Light of Destruction, which wishes for the destruction of darkness. But without darkness, there will be an off balance that will heavily affect the universe in a negative way. However, there are few chosen ones that are destined to fight against the Society of Light. I suspect that you along with Jaden are two of those people."**_

"Jaden..." muttered Elize, remember the state he currently is and was wondering where he was. "Wait a minute! The one who made Jaden into not liking dueling is Aster Phoenix! Does that mean he's a member of the Society of Light?"

Doriado shook her head. _**"No, I do not sense the sort of evil within him. I suspect he doesn't even know the Society of Light nor what destiny awaits for him, but I do sense a vigorous sense of justice inside. It is utterly vital for you to find and reunite Jaden Yuki as soon as possible."**_

Elize nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Miss Doria-"

"'Hey! Elize! There you are!" called out Syrus as he and a tired-looking Hassleberry moved some bushes and shrubs out of their ways; some whacking Hsssleberry in the face. "We've been looking all over for you!"

Doriado vanished back to the Duel Spirit World as Elize faced her friends. "Sorry, I was trying to find you two. Anyways, did you find Jaden yet?"

Hassleberry, panting back and forth, wiped the sweat off his face. "No...And I so want to take a break right now! Let's eat lunch already!"

Syrus nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We do need all the rest we can get."

Hassleberry merely glared at the blue-haired Ra Yellow student. "You look all rested up already! You made me carry all this stuff!"

"Hey, is that any way to speak to your commanding officer?!" challenged Syrus before he noticed the destroyed robot on the ground. "Gaah! Why is there a robot here?!"

Elize sweatdropped. "Yeah...that was my doing. How about I talk about it while we eat? Hassleberry, how about I help you unload those things?"

"Finally! At least someone here appreciates and is concerned for me!"

"Faster, soldier! Faster!"

"Come on, Syrus, at least give Hassleberry a break. He's tired."

"Ha! See, that's why I like Elize more than you, Truesdale! She's actually nice to me!"

"Oh yeah? I can be nice, too!"

"You? Ha! You made me carry all this heavy stuff for hours! What part of nice is that?!"

"The tough kind!"

* * *

 **Whew! Sorry if this seemed like a short chapter, but it's the start for Elize's destiny and involvement in season 2, after all!**


	38. Homecoming Duel

**Alright, time for Jaden's return in this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"How can they do this?" muttered Alexis as she, along with Elize, Chazz, and Hassleberry were standing over a sign in front of the Slifer Red dorm. The sign was issued from Crowler and Bonaparte, informing the residents that if they wanted the Slifer Red dorm still up, they must select one duelist and win the upcoming duel, or else they'll tear down the dorm.

"Easily," answered Hassleberry, used to such cowardly tactics. "When the enemy's in charge, the battle's in their favor. But we've got to press on. The future of our platoon is in someone's hands, now."

Unmoved, Chazz crossed his arms. "Touching speech, Sarge, but this fight is meaningless. Soon, the whole school-No, the whole world will be united in the Society of Light! But go ahead, save your dorm."

Witnessing him leaving and not caring about the fate of the Slifer Red dorm, Alexis called out, "It's your dorm, too!"

"You know, he keeps mentioning the whole Society of Light thing, but I still have little information about it," replied Elize. _'Even if Miss Doriado and the others warned me about it.'_

"At ease, you two," reminded Hassleberry. "We've got a bigger problem now. We don't know what sort of duel both Crowler and that nasty Bonaparte got cooked up."

"Knowing those two, it's likely that they'll choose a really strong duelist," said Alexis. "I want to duel, but I sprained my wrist yesterday."

"Oh, no! Are you alright?" asked Elize, seeing her bandaged wrist.

Alexis smiled and nodded. "I'm alright. I didn't want anyone to worry, so I didn't tell anyone about it. Sorry, but I'm going to have to call it quits now."

"That just leaves me, Truesdale, and Private Elize!" stated Hassleberry.

"Wait, what about Bastion?" pointed out Elize. "He cares about the dorm just as much as we do. Please don't tell me you forgot about him, Hassleberry."

A bit embarrassed by his mistake, Hassleberry sheepishly grinned. "Oops! You're right! Sorry!"

"Besides, I'm pretty sure the sign meant Slifer Red students only," pointed out Alexis. "Hassleberry, Syrus, and Bastion can't participate because those three are technically in Ra Yellow, and even if my wrist wasn't sprained, I don't think I would be allowed to participate because I'm an Obelisk Blue. So the only Slifer Red student available would be..."

"Oh! Me!" said Elize. "...Wait, me?! Oh no, what if my opponent's too strong?! What if I lose?!"

"Yeah, you get a lot of pressure when you're the only last line of defense of sparring the Slifer Red dorm," admitted Hassleberry.

"Not helping, Hassleberry!" scolded Alexis before clasping Elize's shoulders. "Elize, it's okay. Take a deep breath, okay? Everything's going to be just fine. You can do this. I've seen you face off against other powerful foes like Kagemaru and even the Shadow Riders, so I know you can do this. I believe in you!"

Encouraged by Alexis, Elize was awed. "R-Really? You believe in me? But, what if I lose?"

"Don't worry too much about it, Private!" assured Hassleberry. "What's important is that you try your best and win! Don't give in! That's what the enemy wants, after all!"

With the support from her two friends, Elize already felt stronger than ever, especially when she knew that they had her back and were going to support her from the sidelines. "Thank you, both of you! Okay! I'll win the duel! Wait, what time is the duel, again?"

* * *

 _Later, that night..._

"Who schedules a duel at midnight?" wondered Alexis while she, Hassleberry, and Elize were standing near the Duel Academy building, where it was foggy late that night.

"Someone who's up to no good," pointed out Hassleberry as Elize yawned tiredly.

It was simply ridiculous to host a duel so late at night, but Bonaparte and Crowler must have been in a hurry to shut down the Slifer Red dorm, so they must have wanted to resort to this.

"Alexis! Hassleberry! Elize!" Syrus' panicked voice echoed from within the fog as he and Bastion arrived, panting due to having ran all the way near the Duel Academy building. "Is it true?!"

"Yes, are they really going to tear down our dorm if we lose?!" questioned Bastion. "That's against regulations!"

"Not when you're head of the school!" spoke Bonaparte confidently before he and Crowler stepped out of the building to greet their opposers. "Last I checked, we make the regulations!"

Displeased to see the two, Hassleberry taunted, "Well, if it isn't the gruesome twosome!"

"H-Hassleberry, that's a little rude," pointed out Elize. _'Even if it is kinda true.'_

"You'll never get away with this!" promised Alexis. "Our dorm isn't going anywhere, Bonaparte!"

Chuckling, Bonaparte said, "Oh, really? Just try saying that again when you see your opponent!"

"I'm here!" From amongst the hidden fog, Aster Phoenix suddenly appeared, shocking everyone since they never expected him, of all people, to reappear at Duel Academy.

"Aster Phoenix?!" everyone cried out, surprised.

"I'm so dead!" All of the confidence Elize had gathered thanks to Alexis and Hassleberry's encouragement quickly drained the second she realized Aster Phoenix was going to be her opponent.

"Relax!" assured Alexis trying to see the positive side from all this. "You still have a chance at winning!"

"Yeah!" agreed Syrus. "Even though Aster Phoenix has more experience, has a stronger deck, and is a Pro Duelist, I still believe you can win!"

"..." Elize looked completely mortified at the disadvantages she had from being reminded by Syrus.

"...I just made things worse, didn't I?"

"Come on, everyone! Time to get going!" announced Bonaparte before the others followed him.

Elize was among one of the few to leave, apparently nervous about her duel with Aster. She thought it would be safe because of her friends' help, but now that she confirmed that Aster was indeed her opponent, she couldn't help but worry. If Aster was able to beat Jaden, one of the strongest duelists she knew, how was she going to stand a chance?

Just as she was leaving to head inside, she turned and saw Chazz and Aster chatting with each other, so she couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.

"So, Aster. Have you heard? I'm in the club," spoke Chazz.

"What, my fan club?"

"Uh, no! I mean, the Society of Light!"

"Sorry, doesn't ring a bell."

"Oh, come on!" complained Chazz, glaring at Aster. "You're kidding, right?! I know Sartorius sent you. He needs you to kick Jaden's butt one last time."

 _'What's Chazz talking about?'_ wondered Elize. _'Who's Sartorius? And what does he mean by Jaden? Jaden's not here.'_

Even Aster was just as confused as Elize. "You've got it wrong. Jaden's not even here. Besides, why would I need to duel him? I'm here to duel whoever's my opponent. Nothing more, nothing less."

At first, Chazz was just irritated and thought Aster was playing dumb, but...maybe Aster actually was. "Okay, now I see what's going on here. You're the celebrity-type who likes to keep his life private, right? Look, if that's what you want, it's cool with me. I'll make sure to keep things on the 'down-low.' You can trust me. I'm one of you now. I've seen the light!"

 _'Chazz does keep mentioning that light business every time he refers to the Society of Light,'_ thought Elize before realizing something horrific. _'Oh no...would that mean Aster's part of the Society of Light?'_

"...As stimulating as this conversation is, I gotta go, pal," replied Aster, not wishing to waste his breath on a lunatic.

"I can read between the lines, you know," said Chazz. "So, don't worry about a thing. This 'discussion' never happened. It's cool. Your secret identity is safe with me. Now get out there and make those slackers see the light! Aahahaha!"

"Sure...whatever you say," said Aster awkwardly, watching Chazz leave and not bother sticking around to see the duel. Actually, it might have been better this way.

 _'...Did I just overhear a conversation involving the Society of Light?'_ thought Elize, confused on what was happening. _'I should probably hurry and prepare inside. I have to duel Aster soon anyways.'_

Once everything was set up for the duel, everyone else was seated as Aster and Elize were the only two duelists standing across each other on the dueling platform, attaching their duel disks to their arms.

"This oughta be quick and painless," spoke Crowler.

"Well, for Aster, that is," added Bonaparte.

Elize tried to mentally prepare herself for her duel against Aster, but the moment she locked eyes with Aster, her body froze from under the intense gaze she was receiving from a world-famous Pro Duelist. She knew that she had a pretty low chance of winning, but at the same time, if she believed in herself and played her cards right, there was a slim chance of winning. Her chances were low, but that didn't mean it was impossible to win.

"Attencion!" announced Bonaparte. "Should Elize lose this duel, it's au revoir for the red dorm!"

"I-I won't lose! I definitely won't lose!" shouted Elize a bit hesitantly.

"Neither will I!" said Aster. Both duelists quickly inserted their decks inside their duel disks, initiating the start of their duel to determine the fate of the Slifer Red dorm.

"I OBJECT!"

The familiar voice coming from one of the entrance points of the Duel Arena caught everyone's attention and ceased the beginning of the duel. An exhausted Jaden rushed inside and stopped to catch his breath.

"It's Jaden!" Jaden's friends all cried out in unison, relieved to see their friend was still alive and well.

"Where'd you come from?" questioned Aster, displeased to see him. No, this was all just a coincidence. Just because Chazz said that he had to duel Jaden doesn't necessarily mean he had to. Jaden just happened to pop out of nowhere, that's all!

"Hey, guys! Did everyone miss me?" said Jaden, who managed to catch his breath. He ran past the dueling platform to reunite with his friends, who gathered together just to meet up with him.

"Welcome back!" greeted Elize. "I'm so happy that you're okay!"

"It's about time!" agreed Syrus. "Where have you been, Jay?"

Turning towards Syrus, Jaden said, "Actually Sy, it's funny that you should ask about that. I've gone to where no man has gone before!"

"Couldn't you just have stayed here?" wondered Aster, openly expressing his continuous displeasure towards Jaden quite rudely.

"Of course not!" said Jaden, not getting the sarcasm before Aster's tone. "There wasn't any oxygen there, and there wasn't any cable there! See, I went to outer space! And I chilled with this dolphin-man! And he gave me these totally rad cards for my deck!"

"Um...what? Outer space?" wondered Elize, confused.

"Poor guy's gone mad," sighed Bastion. "He probably spent too much time alone, isolated in the forest for getting lost."

"Wow! I always wanted to duel with an alien!" Syrus seemed to somehow believe Jaden.

"And I thought dueling a Spanish chef with a bag on his head was weird!" pointed out Hassleberry.

"Trust me, it gets weirder!" explained Jaden. "Since I've been back on Earth, I've chilled out with two more extraterrestrials! Flare Scarab and Air Hummingbird! I also got to meet Winged Kuriboh again! So my deck's even sweeter, now! Pretty whacky story, huh guys?"

"All the cool stuff happens to him," whined Syrus, a little jealous.

"Um...I actually don't think Jaden's lying about this one," admitted Elize. The only reason why is because her Duel Spirits have told her stories about what's been occurring in the Duel Spirit World, and how there are more than one Duel Spirit World, such as one residing within space. Incidentally, Jaden traveling to the space-like Duel Spirit World may have lead to his recovery of his power on Duel Spirits.

"Finally, I'm back in the game!" said Jaden before looking up at Aster. "Aster! How would you like to be the honor of being the first duelist to lose to my deck!"

"W-Well, that's one way to rile someone up," said Elize, sweatdropping at the unintentional insult Jaden said.

"Will you listen to yourself?" called out Aster, more annoyed than he was with his conversation with Chazz. "You're insane! There's not a Hero Monster on Earth that can handle a candle to mine!"

"Weren't you listening?! My heroes came from outer space, not Earth!" reminded Jaden.

Okay, Elize could tell that everyone was starting to disbelieve Jaden now. "Jaden, the others might not believe you, but there's no actual proof that aliens don't exist."

"Jaden, perhaps you need some rest," suggested Bastion. "I mean, do you really believe there's a race of fish people out there?"

"Of course not! They're Dolphin-people!" corrected Jaden.

"O-Oh, right. My bad."

Turning to Elize, Jaden offered, "Let me take your place. I need to do this."

"Are you sure?" asked Elize, handing him her duel disk after removing her deck out. "You just got bad and you look tired!"

"I'm fine! All of my tiredness wore off when I just got back, so I can do this!" assured Jaden, taking her duel disk before jumping onto the dueling platform. "Thanks, anyways for the duel disk! You won't regret it, Elize!"

"But that's not fair!" complained Bonaparte, as the original plan was to get Elize to duel Aster instead of Jaden, who was the strongest duelist amongst his friends.

"Sure, it is!" argued back Bastion. "Jaden lives in the Slifer Red dorm, as well! So, he has just as much as a right to fight for it!"

Seeing Bastion's argument stronger than Bonaparte as Bonaparte couldn't come up with a rebuttal, Crowler nodded in agreement. "Very well. I suppose we can make an exception this time. It's a rematch! The press will love this!"

"You're letting these slackers walk all over you again," pointed out Bonaparte, disliking this idea, yet unable to stop the duel.

"Thanks a mil, Chancellor Crowler!" called Jaden, giving a thumbs-up before returning to the duel. "You don't know how much I've missed dueling!"

"Do you miss losing?" wondered Aster, determined to beat down Jaden all over again.

"Alright, that's enough!" announced Crowler, standing up with an arm raised up. "On with the duel, people!"

"DUEL!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Aster - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"I'll kick things off!" Aster said, starting the duel with his first turn. "I'm summoning Diamond Dude in Attack Mode!"

Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1600)

"Wow, that's some start," commented Syrus.

"It's powerful, but nothing Jaden can't handle," assured Hassleberry.

"He's strong right now, but Jaden has to be careful of the Destiny Heroes' effects," said Elize. Last time the two boys dueled, it didn't end so well for Jaden, especially since he had a disadvantage with Aster's Monster effects.

"And now I activate Diamond Dude's effect!" said Aster. "First, I draw the top card of my deck, and if it happens to be a Spell card, it automatically activates in my Graveyard on my next turn! Now the moment of truth...It's the Spell card, Graceful Charity! I place that in the Graveyard and end my turn!"

"My turn, draw!" said Jaden. "You're not the only one who can start with a hero! And believe me, this hero is guaranteed to make a splash! I summon Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin!"

Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin - (WATER/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

"Told ya my new heroes were out of this world!"

"It's true! They are aliens!" gasped Bastion.

"I...don't really know about alien appearances, but I have to admit, Jaden definitely has a new Monster. Maybe even more," commented Elize.

"And next, I play my Fake Hero Spell card!" continued Jaden. "Here's how it works! Now I'm able to Special Summon an Elemental Hero from my hand, but he returns to my hand when the turn's over, and he can't attack! Now, I Special Summon Elemental Hero Bladedge!"

Elemental Hero Bladedge - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV7 - (2600/1800)

"Now here comes Aqua Dolphin's special ability! I can discard one card from my hand, then I get to see your hand and select a Monster! I choose your Captain Tenacious! Next, I pick a Monster on my side, and if my Monster happens to be stronger, then your Monster card gets destroyed, and you take 500 Points of Damage!"

 **Aster - 3500 LP**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

"Neat, huh? Next, I'll throw two facedowns, take back Bladedge, and call it a turn!"

"Lucky shot!" said Aster, drawing his card. "But now, it's time for Diamond Dude's effect to kick in! And now I get to activate Graceful Charity from within my Graveyard! So I draw three cards and discard two! Now I activate a Field Spell card, Mausoleum of the Emperor!"

Smoke circled around the dueling field, filling it up instantaneously before disappearing, revealing a tomb-like Egyptian area with a bridge between both Jaden and Aster as strange statues laid in rest below them.

"And to make this place even creepier, the basement's filled with a bunch of old statues, which we both can use!" addressed Aster. "All we have to do is give up 500 Points per statue, which count for like a Monster for a Tribute Summon, except they're not really Monsters nor Tokens! I sacrifice two of these statues! So now, I call to the field, my Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster!"

 **Aster - 2500 LP**

 **Jaden - 4000 LP**

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (?/?)

"Now that he's been summoned, I can Special Summon two more Destiny Heroes from my Graveyard! I Special Summon Captain Tenacious and Doom Lord!"

Destiny Hero - Captain Tenacious - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/800)

Destiny Hero - Doom Lord - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/800)

"And all of my other Destiny Heroes' combined power gets added to my Dreadmaster's Attack and Defense Points!"

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (2800/2800)

"You ready?! Let's see what kind of new tricks you can do! Dreadmaster, attack Aqua Dolphin, now!"

"Hold it, muscle head! I activate my Trap, Negate Attack!" yelled Jaden, watching Dreadmaster's assault be halted by a strong barrier protecting Aqua Dolphin. "With that, your attack is negated and your Battle Phase is forced to a close this turn!"

"Fine, then I end my turn!" said Aster. He was hoping to finish off Jaden this turn, but that'll have to wait for next time.

"My turn, then!" said Jaden. "Hey, Aster! Thanks in advance for sharing your Field Spell card! I'll sacrifice two statues and then summon him! My Elemental Hero Neos!"

 **Aster - 2500 LP**

 **Jaden - 3000 LP**

"There's no such thing!" accused Aster. "Trust me, I know every hero there is!"

Elemental Hero Neos - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV7 - (2500/2000)

"...Well, fine! But he's not as strong as my Dreadmaster! I dare you to try and take him, now!"

"Oh, I'll take on that dare, alright!" said Jaden, accepting that challenge. "You see, Neo-Spacians like to work together, and when these two are both on the field, I can fuse them to form a new hero! Aquos, Neos! Merge together in order to form Elemental Hero Aqua Neos!"

With their combined forces, Aqua Dolphin and Neos formed together, transforming in a bright that engulfed them once they flew up in outer space and reappearing as Neos with a slight color scheme change, but more importantly, possessing new powers.

Elemental Hero Aqua Neos - (WATER/Warrior/Fusion) - LV7 - (2500/2000)

"No way...did Jaden really go up into outer space?" wondered Alexis.

"Sure seems like it," said Syrus, starting to believe more of Jaden's dillusional story.

"Whoa! How did he do that without Polymerization?!" gasped Elize.

"Wait until you can see what he can do!" said Jaden. "If I discard one of my cards, two of your cards in your hand gets destroyed! So, I'll toss out Bladedge!"

The moment he did, Aqua Neos fired laser beams from his eyes, targeting two random cards from Aster's hands that disappeared instantly.

"Next, I activate my other facedown, H-Heated Heart! Thanks to this, my Aqua Neos gets 500 Attack Points stronger!"

Elemental Hero Aqua Neos - (WATER/Warrior/Fusion) - LV7 - (3000/2000)

"Aqua Neos, attack! Destroy his Dreadmaster with Sonic Zoom!"

Gathering surging waves of power above his head, Aqua Neos unleashed his power upon Dreadmaster, who was unable to withstand the pressure of the blast and was destroyed.

 **Aster - 2300 LP**

 **Jaden - 3000 LP**

"Gotcha!"

"Not bad!" admitted Alexis.

"You just dismissed his highest ranking officer!" said Hassleberry, relieved to see Aster's strongest Monster no longer posing a threat.

"Awesome! Way to play!" said Syrus.

Elize nodded. "Now, Jaden has a higher chance of winning!"

Trembling not from fear, but from anger, Aster growled, "My Dreadmaster...blown to pieces...Your Martian mutant is nothing compared to my Destiny Heroes!"

"Really? 'Cause I coulda sworn-Huh?" Aqua Neos faded away in an aurora-like light, vanishing back to Jaden's deck in an instant. "What the-?! Hey! Aqua Neos?! What's wrong?!"

"What just happened?!" wondered Syrus.

"I dunno, but I think his Monster just returned to his deck!" guessed Hassleberry.

"If you fellows ask me, I'd say he has a lot to learn about his new deck," said Bastion, thinking that Jaden hadn't fully experienced his new deck quite yet.

"Aww man! And Jaden's wide open, now!" gasped Syrus.

"And Aster still has three Monsters on his side!" reminded Elize.

Aster didn't know what happened, and frankly, he was starting to panic a little because Aqua Neos had taken out one of his best Monsters, but if he was no longer here, Jaden didn't seem to pose a threat any longer. "Since you're fresh out of Monster, I'll assume you're done! So now, I'll show you what real heroes can do! And the best way to do that is this! A triple direct attack! Go!"

Like their master, the Destiny Heroes proved to be less merciful towards their foes as they proved their strength on Jaden by dealing three heavy blows that sent him flying a little before allowing him to crash on the ground with barely any life Points left.

 **Aster - 2300 LP**

 **Jaden - 200 LP**

"Haha! I end my turn! Soon, you'll lose your Life Points, then you'll lose your dorm!"

"Ugh...What's your rush, Phoenix?" grunted Jaden, standing back up. "I was just getting warmed up! Now, the real duel can start!"

Although Jaden was excited as ever facing Aster again, he still couldn't forget the ruthless onslaught he suffered last turn. Yup, the pain wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. _'Man, talk about a landslide! I guess I've got a lot to learn about my new deck. For one, Aqua Neos has a serious weakness. He only sticks around for one turn. Wish I knew that a few minutes ago.'_

 _'All I have left of my father are the Destiny Heroes he created,'_ Aster thought, reminiscing back to the painful day that changed his life forever. _'Now that he's gone, I owe it to him to defeat everyone that stands in my way.'_

"Alright, enough thinking. My turn!" said Jaden, drawing his card. "It's about time for some action! So, I Special Summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"Since he was the only card in my hand, I got to Special Summon him thanks to that effect! And here's another effect! Because he's all alone out on the field, I get to draw two more cards! Awesome! I just drew Pot of Greed, so I get two more cards! And one of them's Bubble Blaster, so I equip that to Bubbleman and increase his Attack Points by 800!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1200)

"And now, I'd like to introduce a new friend of mine! Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird!"

Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/600)

"Pretty sweet threads, don't you think? Or, should I say, feathers?"

Turning his head over to his new master, Air Hummingbird hummed, _**"A wise move, Jaden! Now, let us win!"**_

Nodding in agreement, Jaden continued his move. "I activate Air Hummingbird's effect! For each card in your hand, I gain 500 Life Points for each!"

Although his actions were rendered strange, Air Hummingbird's effect really came in handy for Jaden after the Monster sucked on three pink flowers that appeared for each card Aster had, especially since Jaden was previously low on Life Points.

 **Aster - 2300 LP**

 **Jaden - 1700 LP**

"It's gonna take more than that!" pointed out Aster.

"I know! Like this guy!" said Jaden, initiating his assault. "Bubbleman, destroy Captain Tenacious! And Air Hummingbird, strike down Doom Lord!"

Both new allies nodded to each other before commencing their attacks at the same time. Their attacks collided and hit their targets, wiping them out.

 **Aster - 1300 LP**

 **Jaden - 1700 LP**

"And now, I'll go ahead and throw down a facedown and end my turn!"

"What a comeback!" cried out Alexis, impressed. "Jaden almost lost, and now he's actually winning!"

"I know, isn't that great?" said Elize.

Bastion had to agree with Alexis' statement. "That's Jaden. If it's one thing he's got, it's the flare for the dramatic, wouldn't you say?"

"Nice one!" cheered Syrus.

"Well played, Sarge!" called Hassleberry.

"My turn!" said Aster, growing increasingly frustrated. "I now activate the Field Spell, Dark City!"

Instead of the tome-like structure surrounding the field, it was quickly replaced by towers and buildings in a dark city, illuminated by nothing by streetlights.

"Now, if a Destiny Hero's weaker than the opposing Monster, then it gains 1000 Attack Points!"

"Pretty sweet card, Aster," complimented Jaden. "Nicely played!"

"There's more!" continued Aster. "I'm tributing Diamond Dude to Tribute Summon Destiny Hero - Double Dude!"

Destiny Hero - Double Dude - (DARK/Warrior) - LV6 - (1000/1000)

"Attack Bubbleman! And don't forget! Thanks to my Dark City Spell, he gets a 1000 Attack Point boost!"

Destiny Hero - Double Dude - (DARK/Warrior) - LV6 - (2000/1000)

"Did you forget his Blaster?" reminded Jaden. "Instead of Bubbleman being destroyed, only the Bubble Blaster does, and my Points are safe! But that means that Bubbleman's Attack Points will return to normal!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"I know that, but what you don't know is that my Double Dude can attack twice per Battle Phase! So now, I'm taking out Air Hummingbird! And since Double Dude's originally stronger than him, Dark City no longer applies to him!"

Destiny Hero - Double Dude - (DARK/Warrior) - LV6 - (1000/1000)

As if attacking with a sword, Double Dude slashed at Air Hummingbird, taking him out.

 **Aster - 1300 LP**

 **Jaden - 1500 LP**

"I'll toss this facedown and give you a break."

"Not bad, but check this out!" said Jaden, drawing his card and revealing it to be Graceful Charity. "So, I pick up three and toss out two! Then, I reveal Disgraceful Charity! Here's the deal! For this turn only, any cards that we happen to discard come back to our hands! Next, I play Common Soul, and thanks to it, I get to Special Summon my Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab!"

Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (500/500)

"You know, you're forgetting about the most important thing. Dueling is about making friends and having a blast, isn't it? That's why your Dad started designing cards in the first place."

Stopping at Jaden's words, Aster took a good look of himself in the past and the present him right at this very moment. _'Jaden's right. My father created the Destiny Heroes to make me happy. What would he think of me now? Maybe that's what's wrong with me. Every time I use my Destiny Heroes, all I feel is pain. What...happened to me?'_

"Look at him! Why is he just standing there?!" questioned Bonaparte, losing patience. "Do something, for Pete's sake! You're supposed to be in charge of this school!"

"Hey, chill out!" called Jaden, mildly disturbed. "No one can concentrated with all that yelling, so take it down a few!"

Turning to Jaden, Bonaparte retaliated, "Listen, Garcon! The only thing we'll be taking down is your dorm as soon as you lose!"

 _'! Wait a sec!'_ thought Aster turning towards his Destiny Hero on his field. _'I should be using my heroes for good, not to cause destruction. Otherwise, I'm not better than the thugs that took away my Dad.'_

"Back to the duel!" continued Jaden. "Flare Scarab, you're up, pal! Activate your special ability! Here's how it works! For every Spell and Trap card that's on your side of the field, my Flare Scarab gains 400 Attack Points each! You've got two out, so he gets 800 Attack Points!"

Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (1300/500)

"And now, thanks to my Common Soul, which helped Special Summon Flare Scarab, Flare Scarab can transfer his Attack Points into Bubbleman's!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (2100/1200)

"And now, Bubbleman! Take down his Double Dude!"

Leaping into the air where he could pinpoint his target correctly, Bubbleman, with rigorous vigor surging with him, blasted Double Dude with a stream of bubbles.

 **Aster - 200 LP**

 **Jaden - 1500 LP**

"I activate my Trap, Destiny Signal!" said Aster. "You remember, right? If one of my Monsters gets sent to the Graveyard, I can use Destiny Signal to Special Summon a Destiny Hero from my hand or deck! Now, I Special Summon Destiny Hero Defender in Defense Mode!"

Destiny Hero - Defender - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (100/2700)

"Not bad," admitted Jaden. "That's a whole lotta Defense Points for one hero!"

Aster nodded. "I know, but as long as Defender keeps being in Defense Mode, I have to let you draw an additional card in every one of your Standby Phases."

"Really? Sweet! I end my turn!"

"My move!" said Aster. "Now, get this! Since you destroyed Double Dude last turn, his special ability activates, and two Double Dude Tokens show up to take his place on my Standby Phase!"

Double Dude Tokens - (DARK/Warrior/Token) - LV4 - (1000/1000) X2

"Next, I play Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy Common Soul!"

The rushing winds were too much for Common Soul as it shattered into pieces, sending Flare Scarab back to Jaden's field. "Aw man! When Common Soul's removed from the field, the Monster Special Summoned through its effect returns to my hand!" whined Jaden.

"Glad to hear that! Makes my job so much easier!" taunted Aster. "And without him, Bubbleman becomes so much weaker!"

Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)

"Go! Token 1, attack!" ordered Aster.

Zooming towards Bubbleman, the first Double Dude Token didn't bother giving Bubbleman a chance to fight back before taking him out.

 **Aster - 200 LP**

 **Jaden - 1300 LP**

"And now, Token Number 2! Your turn! Attack Jaden directly!"

The second Double Dude Token rose high in the air before striking Jaden in the abdomen with his cane, emitting electricity as Jaden was soon literally shocked from the attack.

 **Aster - 200 LP**

 **Jaden - 300 LP**

"I end my turn!"

"Oh, man!" cried out Syrus.

"He's got no reserves!" said Hassleberry, now noting that the duel was almost finished, with both duelists having low Life Points, yet Aster being on the winning side.

"Au revoir, kid!" insulted Bonaparte, eagered to see Jaden lose.

Panicking as he was tugging on his handkerchief with his teeth, Crowler thought, _'If I know Jaden, he has a plan!'_

"Alright, here goes!" said Jaden, drawing two cards. "And thanks to your Defender, I can draw two cards instead of one! I'll start with the Shallow Grave Spell card! Now, we each pick a Monster from our Graveyards and bring them back to the field in Defense Mode! I choose Hero Kid! And when he's Special Summoned, I can Special Summon any number of Hero Kids from my deck, so now you'll be facing three Hero Kids!"

Hero Kid - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV2 - (300/600) X3

"Ha! Please!" scoffed Aster. "As if they can stand up for what I'm about to Special Summon! Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster!"

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (?/?)

"And when he's summoned, all non- Destiny Heroes are destroyed! But they get replaced with two new Destiny Heroes I'm about to Special Summon from the Graveyard! Like Diamond Dude and Captain Tenacious, both also in Defense Mode!"

Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1400/1600)

Destiny Hero - Captain Tenacious - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/800)

"And Dreadmaster's Attack and Defense Points are equal to the sum of the Attack Points of Diamond Dude and Captain Tenacious!"

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (2300/2300)

"What a coincidence! I'm about to bring back an old friend as well! I Normal Summon Flare Scarab!" shouted Jaden.

Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (500/500)

"And because of his effect, he gains 400 Attack Points, and Dark City's the only Spell card out!"

Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (900/500)

"Flare Scarab, attack Captain Tenacious with Flaming Arrow!"

Filled with firepower that coursed throughout his body, Flare Scarab summoned fireballs from the sky that hit Captain Tenacious, reducing Dreadmaster's defense power.

Destiny Hero - Dreadmaster - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (1500/1500)

"I'll throw down two facedowns and call it a turn!"

"That's it? Fine, my turn!" said Aster. "I play Pot of Greed, so now I draw two more cards! Now, I sacrifice Dreadmaster, Diamond Dude, and Defender! Now I can Special Summon my Destiny Hero - Dogma!"

Destiny Hero - Dogma - (DARK/Warrior) - LV8 - (3400/2400)

"Now, Dogma! Attack his Flare Scarab!"

Roaring, Dogma circled around the skies a bit, building up his power before taking a swooping dive towards Flare Scarab, firing a powerful beam along the way.

"You triggered my Trap!" shouted Jaden. "Kid Guard! Thanks to this, I can sacrifice one of my Hero Kids in order to negate your attack! And then I can add an Elemental Hero Monster from anywhere within my deck!"

One of the Kid Guards rushed towards in front of Flare Scarab, sending him a glance of reassurance before being blasted by Dogma's attack, fading away as Flare Scarab witnessed his sacrifice.

 _ **"I won't let your sacrifice be in vain,"**_ promised Flare Scarab. _**"Jaden, you must harness the power of Neos!"**_

"Right! It comes down this!" Jaden said. "I choose to add my Elemental Hero Neos!"

"Well, I'll drop a facedown and end my turn," finished Aster.

"Remember, for every Spell or Trap you have on the field, my Scarab gets stronger," reminded Jaden.

Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (1300/500)

"Alright, my draw!"

"Not so fast! Go, Dogma!" interrupted Aster, watching Jaden crying out in pain from being blasted by a purple beam of light shining down on him. "Dogma's special ability activates! For each of your Standby Phase, Dogma takes away half your Life Points!"

 **Aster - 200 LP**

 **Jaden - 150 LP**

"He's almost out of Life Points, guys!" pointed out Syrus, growing increasingly worried.

"This ain't good!" said Hassleberry.

"One hit, and it's all over," Bastion mentioned.

"There's still a chance Jaden can win!" replied Elize.

"The kid's flambe!" laughed Bonaparte.

Stretching his handkerchief with his teeth even further, it was clear Crowler desperately wanted Jaden to win. "I-I can't watch!"

"Haha! Not bad, but I've still got some fight left in me!" said Jaden.

"Come on," spoke Aster, thinking he was bluffing. "There's not a card in your deck that can save you!"

"Well, maybe not in my old deck, but this one's another story! In fact, why don't I show you by busting out a new hero no one's ever seen before! But first, I play the Field Spell, Neo Space!"

Dark City completely vanished and was instantly replaced by a spacial-like environment with a strange aurora-like mixture of colors.

"Now, I sacrifice my two Hero Kids to summon Elemental Hero Neos!"

Elemental Hero Neos - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV7 - (2500/2000)

"And thanks to Neo Space, Neos' Attack Points increase by 500!"

Elemental Hero Neos - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV7 - (3000/2000)

"So what? He still doesn't stand up to my Dogma!" Aster recalled.

"Not yet. But who said I was done?" said Jaden. "Oh, right! I'm creating a new Monster by combining Neos and Flare Scarab together!"

"That's against the rules!"

"It's called Contact Fusion, and it's legit! You see, Neo-Spacians can merge without the use of Polymerization!"

Watching Neos and Flare Scarab merging together as one, Aster shielded his eyes a little in order to avoid being blinded before feeling something warm inside that was causing him to recall some memories of his past childhood. "Wait a sec...I remember this feeling...It's like, years back, when I was a kid, and dueling was still fun! So, this is your new hero, huh?"

Once the fusion was complete, the new being composed of both Neos and Flare Scarab flew down, fired up with newfound power and ready to take on the world, if needed to.

"That's him! Elemental Hero Flare Neos," revealed Jaden proudly.

Elemental Hero Flare Neos - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV7 - (2500/2000)

"And guess what? My Flare Neos gains 400 extra Attack Points for every Spell and Trap card on the field! So, there are three cards on the field, plus my Neo Space, giving him 1600 Points!"

Elemental Hero Flare Neos - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV7 - (4200/2000)

"That's enough to beat my Dogma!" gasped Aster.

"Yup! That's the whole point! Flare Neos, attack!"

"I activate the Trap, D-Shield!" yelled Aster, counterattacking Flare Neos' fireball move as a barrier shielded Dogma from harm. "Now, when a Destiny Hero is attacked, it switches into Defense Mode, so I can equip D-Shield to Dogma and keep him from being destroyed in battle!"

"Awesome!" praised Jaden. "Pretty sweet trap! For real! I end my turn!"

"Thanks, but you know, flattery's not gonna get you anywhere! My turn!" said Aster, noticing that unlike Aqua Neos, Flare Neos didn't immediately return back to Jaden's deck. "I'm guessing that your Neo Space Field card keeps your Monster from vanishing again!"

Impressed by the Pro Duelist's observation, Jaden nodded. "That's right! As long as Neo Space is in play, even though he's fused with something else, Neos will be sticking around this time."

"Not quite," denied Aster. "First things first, I switch Dogma in Attack Mode, and then I equip him with this Spell card! Heavy Storm Blade!"

"Remember, every time a new Spell card appears on the field, Flare Neos gets 400 more Attack Points!" reminded Jaden.

Elemental Hero Flare Neos - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV7 - (4600/2000)

"You think I care?! Please! Not as long as I've got destiny on my back!" said Aster confidently. "Now, attack!"

"What? That's weird," commented Syrus, confused.

"Yes, Aster's Monster is weaker than Jaden's," Bastion pointed out.

Hassleberry wondered, "Well, then why would he attack him?"

"Whenever a Monster that's equipped with Heavy Storm Blade attacks, every single Trap and Spell card on the field is destroyed!" called Aster loudly as the winds emitting from the fast rotating blade of Dogma's were growing too powerful.

"Tres magnifique!" cheered Bonaparte.

"Tell me when it's over!" muffled Crowler with the ripped handkerchief cloth in his mouth.

"And because almost all of the Spells and Traps are destroyed, Flare Neos becomes a whole lot weaker!" said Aster. "Now, attack!"

Elemental Hero Flare Neos - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV7 - (2900/2000)

Just when Dogma was about to strike down Flare Neos with one final slashing move, Flare Neos suddenly rose up and blocked with his arms. Instead of being sliced in half, Flare Neos survived and was gaining the strength to strike back as his power started making the Heavy Storm Blade shatter into pieces.

"What's the problem?" asked Jaden, delighted in seeing the shocked expression on Aster's face. "Oh, you're wondering why my Flare Neos isn't destroyed, right? I hate to break it to ya, but it's your own fault! One of the cards you destroyed was Spell Calling, and when it's sent to the Graveyard, I get to replace it with two new Spell cards facedown on the field, giving my Flare Neos a power boost!"

Elemental Hero Flare Neos - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV7 - (3700/2000)

 _'Impossible! That means...Jaden wins!'_ thought Aster, finding that he had no more tricks up his sleeve to counter or defend himself. _'And Sartorius said that I was destined to win this duel! Could it be that Jaden is even more powerful than destiny itself?'_

Winning over the struggle between them, Flare Neos broke apart the Heavy Storm Blade and took down Dogma, who was forced to submit and be destroyed afterwards, causing Aster to lose the duel.

 **Aster - 0 LP**

 **Jaden - 150**

 **Winner: Jaden**

"That's game!" said Jaden, handing Aster his signature hand pose at the end of every duel he's had. "And a sweet one, too!"

"He won! Way to play!" cheered Syrus joyfully.

"Well done, soldier!" congratulated Hassleberry. In their joy, both boys embraced each other happily...until they realized the position they were in and awkwardly pulled away.

"That was quite the duel! Good show!" praised Bastion.

"And, thanks to Jaden, the Slifer Dorm's safe!" added in Alexis.

"Jaden really did a good job out there!" admitted Elize.

While he was about to bypass Jaden, who was waving to his cheering friends, Aster told him, "Jaden, I don't say this much, but I'm impressed. Now, look. I don't intend to lose again. So, you better enjoy this moment while it lasts."

"Of course!" agreed Jaden. "I'm gonna milk this victory for al it's worth! I mean, come on! It's not everyday I get to beat an undefeated Pro Duelist! Now, here's how I see it. We don't count our first duel since you let me win, so that means we're tied?"

"Yeah? Well, not for long." Actually, Aster was satisfied with that agreement, for it meant that Jaden wasn't a step ahead of him. A tie was actually a bit better than Jaden winning 2 out of the 3 matches they had together.

* * *

 **Whew! Not so much Elize interaction here, but she did have some part in here! She'll have more of a part next chapter, though!**

 **Oh, by the way, I've been pondering on whether or not I should pair up Elize with someone. I plan to have a 5Ds sequel of this, so I was wondering whether I should pair up Elize with someone from 5Ds or Gx.**

 **That said, read and review!**


	39. Reunion Warning

**Well, this isn't really an anime episode chapter, but more like a bonding chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

With the snacks set on the small table, Elize made the last of the preparations by pouring some hot tea into two cups for herself and Jaden. Currently, Jaden was using her bathroom to take a quick shower after all of the things he's been through, having not an opportunity to shower before. Plus, Syrus, Chazz, and Hassleberry were using the bathhouse, which was now full, and Elize offered, so who was he to say no?

Pouring a little sugar into her tea, Elize mixed her the hot tea around with a teaspoon before scooping up a spoonful and blowing on it softly before softly sipping the tea, satisfied with the slight sugary taste along with the fresh aroma smell coming from the tea. _'If Jaden wants more sugar, I'll give him some. For now, I think my own portion's fine with this amount.'_

Dipping her teaspoon back into the tea cup, Elize went to open a bag of chips and await for Jaden when suddenly, Neos appeared in front of her. "Waaah!" she cried out, nearly dropping her chips all over her floor.

"Elize?! What's wrong?!" Opening the bathroom door, Jaden came out half-naked and wet, wearing only a towel to cover up his lower half. "I heard a scream and-"

"Jaden!" Elize's face turned as bright red as a tomato when she saw his current state before shielding her eyes with her arm. "G-Go back! Back to the bathroom!"

"Er...okay?" A little surprised, Jaden obeyed Elize's commands, shutting the door behind him.

Hearing the bathroom door close, Elize sighed and looked up at Neos, embarrassed that he pretty much was a witness to what happened. "I'm...sorry for what happened."

 _ **"You need not to apologize. It was an unfortunate accident,"**_ assured Neos, crossing his arms.

"..." Elize felt a little uncomfortable, being near an unfamiliar Duel Spirit that wasn't one of her own. Still, deciding not to be rude, Elize offered, "H-How about you sit down? It looks like you want to talk about something, Mr. Neos."

 _ **"You don't have to be so formal. Just Neos is fine, and I'll take you up on that offer, thank you,"**_ said Neos, sitting down and not bothering to have any of the snacks or tea since they were reserved for Jaden, and he had no need for human treats.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I know your name, but I didn't get to introduce myself! I'm Elize...Jade's friend."

Neos nodded. _**"I know. Your Duel Spirits chat about you all the time."**_

"I didn't know you met Miss Doriado and the others."

 _ **"Me and the rest of Jaden's deck already have grown acquainted with them a few minutes ago, and they are a rowdy bunch. Needless to say, we're just the same as well."**_

"Yeah, everyone can get a bit noisy at times," admitted Elize. "I'm...sorry if they've caused any bad behavior around you or the others."

Neos shook his head. _**"There's no need to apologize. They're fine. Elize, I wish to speak to you about the Society of Light."**_

Noticing how serious he was about this particular kind of situation, Elize sat up straight and told him, "...I know. Miss Doriado and the others warned me of how dangerous they are. That they're some kind of...cult. Kinda. That they're full of some evil light and want to get rid of the Gentle Darkness."

Neos nodded. _**"Looks like you've been well-informed. This'll make things easier for me, then. You should know that the Society of Light doesn't tolerate many duelists who can see Duel Spirits, such as Jaden. As such, one of them managed to get to Chazz."**_

"I kinda figured that Chazz was with the Society of Light. I mean, he was wearing all white and always talking about the Society of Light," spoke Elize.

 _ **"Yes, but did you know that the Society of Light have the power to hypnotize people? Take control of them and make them act as their slaves should the duelist lose a duel?"**_

"I...wasn't informed of that. But wait, I sensed something weird from Aster's deck when he first dueled Jaden. Well, technically it was the second time, but still!"

 _ **"I did not sense that Aster Phoenix was with the Society of Light, but his deck must have been infused with the power somehow. Even I am not quite sure of it, but I do have a theory that the reason why was because of a plan. A plan to defeat Jaden and have him become one with the Society of Light."**_

"But...nothing happened to him," said Elize. "At least, I don't think s-Oh, wait. He did lose the ability to see Duel Spirits."

Neos continued, _**"Yes. It could actually have been a lot worse for him. He could have become a slave, but it was thanks to his Duel Spirit powers that protected him, but unfortunately, they only lessened the deadly effects of the consequences of his defeat. I wanted to talk to you and warn you in case you end up dueling a Society of Light member, which you will most likely end up."**_

Elize said, "Thank you for your concern, Neos. I do appreciate it. But...what happens if I end up losing? Will I end up in Jaden's state, losing the ability to see Duel Spirits?"

Neos shook his head. _**"Fortunately for you, that isn't the case. That's because you were born with the ability to perceive Duel Spirits, and because you communicated and bonded with so many of your Duel Spirits, let's just say...you've grown a resistance against evil powers. This resistance will become a certain protective power of yours. Each person possessing the power to communicate with Duel Spirits has a different or similar power. You have a certain offensive power that can be rarely triggered under different conditions, but your main power is protection. You can defend yourself against evil forces or anything else to protect yourself or others, but it's not invincible."**_

"I...didn't know that," admitted Elize, as though ashamed, like she was supposed to know.

 _ **"Perhaps none of your Duel Spirits suspected you would be caught up in terrible events such as this. Judging from my conversations with your Duel Spirits, I suspect that might be the case. Watch your back."**_

"Wait! Chazz has the ability to see Duel Spirits, so-"

 _ **"Unfortunately, his power isn't as strong as yours or Jaden's. In fact, his power recently awakened from last year, so his power is weaker than the both of yours combined. He is now a slave of the Society of Light, but it is possible to bring him back, although I am unsure of the method. That said, I just wished to warn you, that's all."**_

"I see...thank you very much, Neos," thanked Elize, bowing her head as Neos vanished just as Jaden re-entered the room, fully dressed.

"Hey, Elize! Sorry about before!" apologized Jaden, washing his wet hair with a towel before sitting down in front of the table.

"It's alright," assured Elize, kindly. "Would you like some tea? If you don't like it, I have water. I'm sorry if I don't have any soda or juice."

"Nah, it's cool! You worked hard at this, so it'd be rude to refuse!" assured Jaden, drinking the tea as though gulping down water before nearly dropping the cup as he tended to his tongue. "Ow!"

"Jaden! You can't just drink hot tea like that! You have to wait for it to cool down!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

Getting up, Elize went to her mini fridge and took out a cold water bottle before handing it over to Jaden. "Here, please try this."

"Whew! Thanks! Sorry for the trouble! Ooh! Chips!"

"Jaden, you should know that those are-"

"Aaaaah! Spicy!"

"...Never mind."

* * *

 **Well, this was a short drabble chapter, but I hope you guys liked it! Read and review!**


	40. Dormitory Demolition

**Dorm battle episode along with extra scenes in the end! Let's start!**

 **Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!**

* * *

"They're gonna tear down our dorm?!"

"Are you certain?!"

"Who's your source, private?"

"Guys, one at a time!"

Syrus, who called his friends over for a meeting outside the Slifer Red dorm, informed them about a meeting he was eavesdropping on that involved Bonaparte and Crowler arguing about the demolition of their dorm. Although, he appeared exhausted and completely wiped out from running non-stop.

"I heard them!" repeated Syrus. "Crowler and Bonaparte were arguing about it in the conference room! They said that the Red dorm has to go!"

"Come on! They've been threatening to do that all year, Syrus!" reminded Bastion.

"Yeah, they're all talk!" agreed Hassleberry.

Worried, Elize turned to the others and asked, "What if it's not a joke? What if they really will do it? They do kinda have the power."

Hassleberry crossed his arms. "Oh, please! The day the dorm goes down, the day I'll eat my entire sock collection!"

"Must we duel in front of the students!"

"Having second thoughts?"

"Hardly! I just think at least in public, we should be in agreement!"

"We ARE! We agreed to duel! You and I are a unified front!"

Having familiar, loud, and obnoxious voices nearby, everyone glanced forward and saw Bonaparte and Crowler arguing amongst themselves as they were heading straight down the path towards the Slifer Red dorm.

"...You know, in all considerations, you don't have to eat your sock collection," Elize tried to comfort.

"Oh, hush! You know what I meant!" scolded Hassleberry.

"Fine!" shouted Crowler, now avoiding eye contact with Bonaparte. "Prepare to eat dirt, shorty!"

"You too, Amazon," insulted Bonaparte, also avoiding eye contact.

Confused, Syrus still managed to clarify what they were saying. "Wait, they're gonna duel?"

"That must mean that Crowler's defending us!" pointed out Alexis.

"What?! He's the enemy!" reminded Hassleberry, surprised.

"Well, apparently, he's found another enemy," said Bastion, noting Bonaparte and Crowler's relationship and how they don't really get along.

Elize wondered, "Wait, if Chancellor Crowler's on our side, isn't that a good thing?"

"Crowler vs Bonaparte? Awesome! Talk about a sweet duel!" cheered Jaden excitedly.

Everyone else sighed, knowing that once Jaden grew excited over a duel, whether he was dueling or watching someone else duel, there was no point stopping him, and it seemed today was just one of those days, even if Crowler used to treat them badly in the past.

Being in the same dueling grounds, Crowler and Bonaparte faced off against each other, prepared to begin their duel at any time as their only witnesses to the duel were Jaden and his friends.

"Remember, Crowler!" called out Bonaparte. "When I win, it's au revoir to the Slifer Reds!"

"...So, explain this to me again?" wondered Jaden. "Which one of these guys should I root for?"

"Crowler!" shouted both Syrus and Hassleberry.

"'Cause if Bonaparte wins this, then we won't have a place to live!" reminded Alexis.

"So, Crowler good, Bonaparte bad," muttered Jaden before calling loudly towards Crowler. "Come on, Chancellor! Time to kick some Vice Chancellor butt!"

Glancing over to the side, Syrus was taken aback by the sight of some construction workers stretching and preparing for something as a steam shovel machine laid nearby the dorm. "Uh...who are they? And what is that?"

Turning towards where Syrus was looking, Elize was just as puzzled as he was. "Um...I think those are construction workers? They must be here to tear down our dorm if Chancellor Crowler loses. It's the only thing I can think of."

"Last chance to save face, Crowler!" shouted Bonaparte. "Not that anything can save your face. But surrender now, and I won't embarrass you!"

"The embarrassment will be mine!" declared Crowler before realizing what he misspoke. "Er...What I mean is, if anyone's going to be embarrassed, it's me! Um...Embarrassed that I ever hired you! Er, yeah! That's it!"

"He's got a way with words!" chuckled Jaden as he and his friends sweatdropped at Crowler's lack of trash talk skills.

"Not really," spoke Syrus.

"Well, at least he tried," commented Elize. "We have to give him credit for trying."

"I HEARD THAT!" shrieked Crowler, growing irritated. "Look, I don't care about these brats! This duel is all about shutting you up, not saving dorms!"

Everyone but Elize fell down anime style as Elize was the only one standing, though sweatdropping at Crowler's words. As if his awful trash talk wasn't enough, he was practically trying to make enemies with the students he's trying to protect.

"Fine by me!" said Bonaparte. "LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!"

"You're such a dramatic little man," Crowler said. "But save the screaming for the end!"

 **\- DUEL -**

 **Bonaparte - 4000 LP**

 **VS**

 **Crowler - 4000 LP**

"WELL, FINE!" hollered Bonaparte, drawing his card. "I'll start with my Toy Soldier in Attack Mode!"

Toy Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (800/300)

"Haha! Cute little fellow, don't ya think?" chuckled Jaden happily.

Bastion and Alexis weren't amused. "Don't be fooled," warned Bastion.

Alexis narrowed her eyes. "It's dangerous."

Overhearing Alexis' comment, Bonaparte smirked. "Dangerous indeed, mademoiselle! Now, I place three cards facedown and I end my turn!"

"Humble start, but I'm not surprised," said Crowler, drawing his card. "I play the Graceful Charity Spell card! You know the drill! I draw three cards from my deck and then send two to my Graveyard! Now I activate the Spell card, Premature Burial! So all I need to do is give up 800 Life Points and equip this card to the Monster I'm choosing to revive from my Graveyard! I Special Summon the Trojan Horse!"

Trojan Horse - (EARTH/Beast) - LV4 - (1600/1200)

 **Bonaparte - 4000 LP**

 **Crowler - 3200 LP**

Bonaparte was hoping Crowler would be the first to lose Life Points, and much to his glee, he was right. "By the way, every time you lose a couple of Life Points, my demolition crew will take away a piece of that dorm!"

The steam shovel from before started becoming operation as it rose a claw and swiped down, taking a large piece of the dorm away and causing damage to the Slifer Red dorm.

"Hey! What's the deal?" wondered Jaden, as this was the first they've heard of this part of the duel.

"Well, I guess we know why that giant steam shovel's here," commented Hassleberry, displeased.

"Oui, oui!~" sang Bonaparte. "The more Life Points the Chancellor loses, the more that shovel tears into your dorm!"

"But you're getting ahead of yourself, Bonaparte!" shouted Crowler. "It's still my turn! And get this! If I choose to summon an EARTH Attribute Monster, I get a bonus! My Trojan Horse will count as two sacrifices! I now Tribute Summon Ancient Gear Golem!"

Ancient Gear Golem - (EARTH/Machine) - LV8 - (3000/3000)

"That's a heck of a frontline!" complimented Hassleberry, impressed not just by the size of Crowler's Monster, but based on its strength as well.

Elize nodded. "That's Crowler's ace and most strongest Monster! It's basically immune to Traps and Spells during battle!"

"That outdated hunk of junk isn't scaring anyone, Crowler!" called Bonaparte, unfazed. "Besides, tactics are what counts! And my army is well-prepared!"

"You have one soldier!" pointed out Crowler.

"One soldier and a cannon! I activate the trap, Toy Cannon! And now, thanks to my Trap, it lets me choose one Monster you control and switch it into Defense Mode! Then, you automatically lose 400 Life Points! Ready? Aim...FIRE!"

Minature Toy Soldiers appeared behind a cannon and began to load it up with a cannonball before letting loose the cannonball which struck Ancient Gear Golem's helm, forcing him into Defense Mode.

Crowler shrieked as he was accidentally struck by his monster's giant palm, forced to hit the ground facedown. "Not bad...for a toy...!"

 **Bonaparte - 4000 LP**

 **Crowler - 2800 LP**

"You in the shovel!" commanded Bonaparte. "Give that dorm another thrash!"

"You've got it, Mr. B!" called out the construction worker who was operating the steam shovel, moving in closer before destroying more parts of the dorm, much to the horror of the residents.

"Who knew I could destroy the Red dorm and put you in your place all in one fun-filled duel?" spoke Bonaparte confidently. "I'm telling you, monsieur, this is the stuff that dreams are made of! And here's more! Trap card 2! Gulliver Chain!"

Chains sprung up from underground and wrapped themselves around Ancient Gear Golem, binding his movements and restricting anything further of him.

"Listen up! Should you try and switch that oversized heap of junk into Attack Mode, he'll simply be destroyed automatically! Now, you can either stare into space, or you can end your turn! Hahahaha!"

"Grrr! Fine! I end my turn!" growled Crowler, annoyed.

"Come on! Crowler had him right where he wanted him!" said Bastion, pleading for a miracle to happen. "Summoning that Gear Golem to the field was no easy task!"

"Who cares? Bonaparte rendered it practically useless with just one move!" reminded Alexis. "He's good."

"Sure is!" agreed Jaden. "Way to go, Bonaparte!"

"What are you doing?" asked Syrus.

"He's the enemy!" Hassleberry said. "If he wins, then our headquarters are gone!"

"Oh yeah!" While watching the duel, Jaden forgot about the stakes of whomever wins or loses and began to cheer on Crowler. "Let's go, Crowler! Let's go!"

Hassleberry, Elize, and Syrus glanced at each other before deciding to go along with Jaden's cheer. "Let's go, Crowler! Let's go, Crowler!"

As if his situation during the duel was bad enough, Crowler had to listen to some of his students cheering him on, which wasn't all that bad, but still annoying. "I liked it better when they hated me!"

"Monsieur! My move!" called out Bonaparte, drawing a card. "I forgot to mention one thing! If my Toy Soldier is on the field during the Standby Phase, I can Special Summon two more Toy Soldiers to my field from my deck!"

Toy Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (800/300) X3

"My soldiers may be short, but the best things come in small packages! You'll see! I'm dedicating this duel onto everyone who ever made fun of my height!"

"Being tall is no picnic!" protested Crowler, having his own share of bad experiences from being tall.

"Cry me a river!" scoffed Bonaparte. "Tall people have it better! Ever rested a drink on your head? Trust me, my childhood was way more dramatic than yours was! But that's all in the past! Because in this battle, I'm ten feet tall! And I'm going to crush you like a cockroach!"

Slightly intimidated by Bonaparte's threat and nearly envisioning him as overpowering and taller, Crowler insulted, "Guess again! If anyone's going to be crushed, then it'll be me! No, I mean...you'll be doing all the crushing around here!"

 _'Wait, I thought this was a duel for the dorm!'_ thought Elize as her friends continued cheering for Crowler. _'When did this change from the dorms into a challenge of short and tall?'_

"That's right!" said Bonaparte. "'cause I activate this! My Forced March Spell card! And that means my little wooden battalion gets to storm onto the battlefield! Feast your eyes on the wrath of the Toy Soldiers! They can now attack you directly at the cost of their Attack Points being halved!"

The three Toy Soldiers stood perfectly in sync and in position before charging at Crowler, only to drop dead as they fell down and panted in exhaustion; a result of the Forced March.

Toy Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (400/300) X3

"See that? You pushed your men too hard!" taunted Crowler, getting overconfident. "Now they're all tuckered out!"

"But of course! This is all part of my master plan!" bragged Bonaparte. "I now activate the Quick-Play Spell, Fife and Drum Corps! Now all of my Monsters with 1000 or lower Attack Points get a double boost!"

Toy Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (800/300) X3

Bonaparte's Toy Soldiers fired the corks from their mini rifles, striking Crowler in three different spots throughout his body, but the last area to be hit was the worst as it included hitting a man's most precious treasure.

"That sure didn't look like fun!" commented Hassleberry as he and the rest of the boys hissed in pain, as though they were hit in that exact spot as well.

"You could say that again!" agreed Syrus.

"Poor Crowler!" admitted Elize, feeling sorry for the man.

 **Bonaparte - 4000 LP**

 **Crowler - 400 LP**

"Ahahahaha! That cut you down to size! What do you think of the world down here?" teased Bonaparte, watching Crowler fall to his knees after suffering through that one injury.

"I'm not gonna sit here and take this! I'm standing tall!" growled Crowler, clutching the spot between his legs. "W-well, maybe I'll just sit here and uh...better not stand tall!"

"Wow, the poor guy's devastated!" pointed out Hassleberry.

"Looks grim," said Syrus.

"That blow must have been real strong if it had Crowler down on his knees," Elize said.

"Crowler will pull through!" assured Jaden.

Because Crowler was down to only a few of his Life Points due to suffering from three direct attacks, the dorm was close to collapsing from the harsh thrashing it now received from the steam shovel.

"I'm not done!" called out Bonaparte. "Now it's time to implement my Trap, Unequal Treaty! Under this Trap, every time you draw a card from your deck, you agree to lose 100 Points! As for moi, I receive 100 Life Points! ...Stop looking at me like that! There is no mercy in war! To end my turn, I place one card facedown!"

With the situation as it is, it was growing increasingly worse for Crowler as the dorm was nearly destroyed and down to its last knees, Bonaparte having an advantage in the duel, and Crowler down to his last Life Points.

"Hahahaha! Can't you see? I know every one of your strategies! I watched you duel and studied your moves!"

 _'That's not fair!'_ thought Crowler. _'I've never seen him duel! And are my strategies really so predictable? I don't know what to do next!'_

"Come on, Chancellor!" cheered on Jaden. "Remember what you taught us? Great duelists think on their feet! When your old strategies stop working, try some new ones!"

Smiling at Jaden's suggestive advice, Crowler turned to Bonaparte with newfound determination. "Bonaparte, do you know what makes a good teacher a great teacher?"

"Just duel! I don't have time for your riddles, Chancellor!" shouted Bonaparte, irritated and annoyed that the duel was taking so long to finish. "Stop trying to stall! I have a dorm to crush!"

"My dear colleague, I've taught lots of students throughout my many years as an educator!" began Crowler. "And the most important thing that I've discovered is through that experience is this! A good...No, a _great_ teacher is one that can learn from his students!"

"Absolute poppycock!" said Bonaparte, not truly understanding the meaning of his words.

Seeing as there was no point arguing his statement to a dimwit like Bonaparte, Crowler drew his card. "Very well, then let's get on with the duel! As I recall, it's my move!"

"Oh, Chancellor! Did you forget the provisions of our treaty?" reminded Bonaparte, activating the effect of Unequal Treaty. "You lost 100 Life Points, and I happily gain 100 more! Ha! You're down to a measly 300 Life Points!"

 **Bonaparte - 4100 LP**

 **Crowler - 300 LP**

"It's not over until it ends!" shouted Crowler. "A student taught me that! So I play this; my Spell card, Ancient Gear Castle!"

"So? Big whoop!" said Bonaparte. "You played a big sand castle!"

"With this spell, any of my Monsters with the word 'Ancient Gear' in their name gains 300 Attack Points! And now I summon Ancient Gear Soldier, and he'll gain those 300 Attack Points automatically!"

Ancient Gear Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV4 - (1600/1300)

"And now, just to make things more interesting, I'll add my Ancient Gear Tank and equip it onto Ancient Gear Soldier! With this new fancy weapon of his, my Gear Soldier gains 600 Points!"

Ancient Gear Soldier - (EARTH/Machine) - LV4 - (2200/1300)

"Alright! Destroy one of those Toy Soldiers!"

"Not quite!" Bonaparte was about to stop his Monster with a secret Trap of his own when he thought, _'Wait, I made a terrible mistake! If he's attacking with Ancient Gear Soldier, I can't activate my Trap card!'_

Strolling towards one of the Toy Soldiers at a fast pace, Ancient Gear Soldier aimed and fired at his target, taking him out in a huge explosion.

 **Bonaparte - 2700 LP**

 **Crowler - 300 LP**

"Now, since you're destroying that dorm, I'll rebuild with every Life Point you lose!" Turning towards the construction workers, Crowler called out, "Oh, boys! Do your thing!"

Immediately setting off to work, the workers began rebuilding the nearly demolished Slifer Red dorm as everyone watched in amazement as the entire dorm was rebuilt in seconds as though nothing terrible has happened.

"Awesome!" said Jaden happily. "Those guys work fast!"

"Uh...How?" wondered Elize, puzzled. "That shouldn't even be logically possible..."

"I place one card facedown and end my turn!" said Crowler proudly.

Knowing Crowler's conditions, Bonaparte might as well thought that the Chancellor was declaring war. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be? Well, you asked for it! Watch this! I activate the Spell, Crowning of the Emperor! Now I can sacrifice one Toy Soldier to Special Summon Toy Emperor from my deck!"

Toy Emperor - (EARTH/Machine) - LV6 - (2300/800)

"And the battle wages on! Toy Emperor, attack his Gear Soldier now!"

With his horse trotting forward, Toy Emperor slashed a few times with his sword, destroying Ancient Gear Soldier in a couple of slashes.

 **Bonaparte - 2700 LP**

 **Crowler - 200 LP**

Unfortunately, thanks to Crowler losing Life Points, all of the hard work the construction workers placed in was instantly destroyed by a single swing of the steam shovel.

"Sorry, but when my Gear Tank is sent to the Graveyard, you, my pudgy friend, loses 600 Life Points!" shouted Crowler.

 **Bonaparte - 2100 LP**

 **Crowler - 200 LP**

Immediately afterwards, the construction workers started to rebuild the dorm in mere seconds, enjoying the work that they just so happened to destroy before.

"...I am starting to question everything I know," commented Elize, sweatdropping as she watched the workers.

"Hey! I have some bad news!" announced Bonaparte. "When my Toy Emperor destroys a Monster in battle, I get to select a Trap card from my deck and place it right into my hands! Now, Toy Soldier! Switch to Defense Mode! I'll place this facedown and end my turn!" _'Ha! As soon as he summons a new Monster, I'll spring my trap, then it's au revoir Red dorm!'_

"I draw!" said Crowler.

"Well, fine! But it's gonna cost ya 100 Life Points!" reminded Bonaparte of the effects of Unequal Treaty.

 **Bonaparte - 2200 LP**

 **Crowler - 100 LP**

"Did you forget the conditions of our Unequal Treaty? Just 100 Points left! So, go ahead! Why don't ya make your final move?"

 _'It is my final move! And it'll end with his defeat!'_ thought Crowler, agreeing with Bonaparte for once, whether he liked it or not. "This gets complicated, so listen up! I can sacrifice my Ancient Gear Castle to summon Ancient Gear Engineer! Normally, it would require two sacrifices, but thanks to my castle, it doesn't!"

Ancient Gear Engineer - (EARTH/Machine) - LV5 - (1500/1500)

"Good!" said Bonaparte. "A summoning! I was hoping that would happen!"

"It won't work!" called out Crowler, surprising Bonaparte as though he read his mind. "You want to activate your Trap! But my Engineer negates all Trap cards!"

"Yeah, well...You still can't destroy my Emperor!" pointed out Bonaparte. "Your big hunk of bolts doesn't have enough Attack Points!"

"Big deal! I'll get to him later! Now, Ancient Gear Engineer! Attack that Toy Soldier!"

Raising a drill-like arm, Ancient Gear Engineer shoved his weapon and piercing through the defensive Toy Soldier.

"You're only delaying the inevitable!" shouted Bonaparte.

"I'm just getting started! Wahahaha! When my Ancient Gear Engineer destroys a Monster in battle, its special ability activates! This lets me destroy one of your Spell or Trap cards! So, bid adieu to your precious Gulliver Chain!"

"Sweetness!" said Jaden, ecstatic to see Ancient Gear Golem freed from the curse of Gulliver Chain.

"Way to play!" Syrus said, glad that Crowler has an advantage back to his side.

"Now that Chancellor Crowler has Ancient Gear Golem back, he has a chance of winning!" Elize said.

However, Bonaparte only laughed at Crowler's pathetic attempts. "Ahahaha! You've made a strategic mistake! Your Gear Golem is in Defense Mode! Everyone knows that he can't change modes during battle!"

As bad as it was, Bastion had to agree with Bonaparte's statement. "He's right! What Crowler should have done is destroy that Trap card, Unequal Treaty! As long as it's in play, he won't have a next turn!"

"Don't worry," assured Jaden, noticing the confident smirk on Crowler's face. "Something tells me he won't need a next turn."

"Oh, Bonaparte!~ I've got bad news!~" sang Crowler. "I'm afraid you're the one who made the mistake! I activate my Zero Gravity Trap! Don't you know? All Monsters switch modes, and that includes your Monster as well!"

Sheathing his sword, both Toy Emperor and his horse knelt down in Defense Mode along with Ancient Gear Engineer while Ancient Gear Golem stood up strong and tall.

"And luckily for me, my turn doesn't seem to be over just yet, now does it? If I were you, I'd be waving the little white flag! Now, bid your Life Points au revoir!"

"Nonsense! My Emperor's in Defense Mode!" reminded Bonaparte. "So, I'm safe!"

"Try again! You seemed to have forgotten something!" said Crowler, wagging his finger. "If my Ancient Gear Golem attacks and destroys a Monster in Defense Mode, he can inflict piercing damage regardless whether of which mode your Emperor's in!"

"But...my plan was flawless!" cried out Bonaparte, realizing he was going to lose. "Where could I have gone wrong?!"

"Hmph! Well, your first mistake was challenging me!" declared Crowler, angered. "And then, you had the nerve to call my worthless students 'worthless!' Only I can insult those slackers!"

"He does like us..." muttered Hassleberry happily as he and the rest of the students were touched by Crowler's indirect reasoning. "Well, I'll be!"

"Gear Golem! Attack his Toy Emperor, now! Mechanized Melee!"

Raising his fist, Ancient Gear Golem swung towards Toy Emperor, not only shattering the Monster, but punching the living daylights out of Bonaparte as well.

 **Bonaparte - 0 LP**

 **Crowler - 100 LP**

 **Winner: Crowler**

Wiping sweat off his forehead, Crowler sighed in relief. "Well, that's that!"

"Excellent maneuvers!" called out Hassleberry.

"Thank you, Chancellor!" thanked Elize.

"Awesome duel! Come on! Give it back to me!" said Jaden, giving Crowler a good round of his finger signature, which Crowler returned, only to realize what he was doing and putting his hand away.

Rushing towards Crowler, the rest of the students happily held up Crowler high in the air, praising him for his victory as Crowler grew embarrassed and demanded to be put down, but thought it wasn't so bad being the center of attention.

* * *

 _That night..._

"Dig in!" sang Alexis and Elize, having placed sweets in the Slifer Red dining hall. As celebration for them finally being able to take back their dorm and no longer being in threat of being demolish, Alexis and Elize, thanks to their cooking training with Dorothy, decided to whip up a variety of desserts for all of them to enjoy.

On the table, there was a few short cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes, custards, pudding, and so forth that had everyone mouthwatering at the sight of the display of fresh, good-looking desserts before them.

"Wow! These look really tasty!" said Jaden before taking one of the cookies and chomping on it. "Mmm!"

"We hope it's alright," Elize spoke hopefully before taking a small bowl of pudding for her to eat.

"These taste fantastic!" said Bastion, taking a piece of pie and sticking his fork in, having taken a bite.

Within a few minutes later, everyone was engaged at the party, having the fun of their life as they enjoyed the desserts and chatted with each other; the desserts disappearing as time passed.

"No way! Chazz really did that?!" exclaimed Jaden.

Alexis nodded. "But Elize said not to worry too much about it. I really want to punch his face in, though..."

"Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Hmm? She was here a few minutes ago. Maybe she went to the bathroom..."

"Hey! Truesdale! How could you eat the entire chocolate cake?" questioned Hassleberry, engaged in an argument with the Ra Yellow.

"Me?! It was already gone by the time I wanted to get some! Maybe YOU ate it!" accused Syrus.

Unknown to any of them, Elize had already headed out towards the Obelisk Blue Boys dorm, carrying a bag of cookies and a plate full of chocolate cake. She sat down on a bench that was close to the dorm, placing the desserts next to her as she tried to contact Atticus through her PDA.

A few minutes later, Atticus rushed out, having been requested by Elize to come out before spotting her sitting down with a few desserts. "Hey, Elize! How's it going?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Thank you," said Elize before handing the bag of cookies to Atticus. "Here...me and Alexis made these, but I wanted to give them to you."

Recalling that he did deny their invitation to come to the celebration party hosting at the Slifer Red dorm because he was busy, Atticus felt touched that Elize went all this way just to deliver him sweets. "Awww! That's so sweet of you, Elly! ...Pun, intended."

"Huh?" Elize didn't know what Atticus meant as she gave her gift to him. She picked up the chocolate cake's plate in her palms and asked, "I wanted to give the cookies to you, but I also had another reason for coming. Is it possible for you to get me to see Chancellor Crowler? I know he kinda lives here, but I'm a Slifer Red, and a girl, so I'm normally not allowed to be here without permission."

Smiling, Atticus nodded. "Sure! Yeah, okay!"

Escorting Elize through the hallways of the Obelisk Blue Boys Dorm was actually easier than expected, due to the boys having stayed indoors in their own rooms or setting out elsewhere. Eventually, they arrived at Crowler's door, where Atticus knocked several times loudly.

"Atticus, for the last time, we're not hosting another Miss Duel Academy's contest this year," called out Crowler from behind the door.

"You tried to do that again?" asked Elize; her face flustered pink from the memory of last year's contest.

"Yeah, but thanks to Crowler taking charge, he refuses to host one this year!" complained Atticus sadly. "It's not fair! I wanted to see the hotties this year and-"

"..." Elize merely stared at Atticus.

"...Yeah, we should focus on the task at hand. Chancellor! Elize wants to see you real quick!"

Hearing a loud, exhausted sigh, Elize and Atticus waited for a moment before hearing Crowler's voice again. "Alright, bring her in. Not you, Atticus."

Sweatdropping, Elize could sort of understand why Crowler kicked Atticus out of his office; to prevent hearing all about the Miss Duel Academy's contest once again, and frankly, Elize didn't blame him as she entered the office as Atticus opened it for her, seeing as she was carrying something with both hands.

Closing the door behind her with her leg, Elize walked up to Crowler, who appeared to be busy handling paperwork. "Um...here! A thank-you gift from all of us! You know, for helping us take back the Slifer Red dorm! It's not much, and I'm not sure if you like chocolate or not, but here you go!"

"Oh." Crowler wasn't upset by the gift, but rather surprised at Elize's generosity as he hadn't expected to be given a cake for his hard work. "Well...set it down here, why don't you?"

Nodding, Elize walked over and placed the chocolate cake on his desk. "If...if it's any consolation, might I suggest sharing the cake with Vice-Chancellor Bonaparte, too? I mean, I would have given him sweets too if I knew where he lived on campus, and I know he did kinda tried to tear down our dorm, but I...think he shouldn't be left out."

"I'll consider it," said Crowler, nodding.

Elize bowed her head and turned to walk away from his office. "Well, goodnight!"

After witnessing her leave, Crowler turned to the luscious cake before him. It felt nice doing something for someone and receiving something in return. Perhaps the Slifer slackers weren't so bad after all.

Tasting the cake with one quick swipe of his finger, Crowler then made an awful-looking face. "Too sweet! Too sweet! Oh, I am definitely giving this to Bonaparte, now!"

* * *

 **Skit: White Chasm**

Elize was off searching for more ingredients, hoping to find them in the storage area of the Slifer Red dorm when she happened to encountered a messy-looking Chazz inside. "Oh, hello, Chazz! What's wrong?"

Chazz, who appeared stressed and exhausted, didn't look pleased as he held a white paint container. "What's wrong?! My work kept being disturbed by loud noises and huge earthquakes!"

"Your work?" wondered Elize. "Wait, you were inside while the construction builders were destroying and fixing our dorm?"

"..." Letting out a frustrated cry, Chazz splattered white paint all over Elize, causing her to cry out in surprise before Chazz stomped away from her, harshly bumping her shoulder with his as he left.

"...I didn't even get to ask if he knew where the sugar was," pouted Elize, concerned with the sugar over the fact that she got hit with white paint.

* * *

 **Skit: Dessert Angel**

"By the way, Elize?" asked Atticus as they made their way towards Crowler's office.

"Yes?"

"I kinda get why you would want to give Crowler a cake, but why would you want to give Bonaparte one, too? Isn't he the same guy who threatened to take down your dorm hours ago?"

Stopping, Elize looked at her feet. "I...I know it doesn't make sense and it probably sounds stupid, but even though Vice-Chancellor Bonaparte was kinda cruel in doing is, I still think he could change. I mean, Chancellor Crowler kinda did, and he was a jerk to the Slifer Reds last year, but he did change. I mean, a year ago, I bet he wouldn't try and help, but this year, he did, which means he changed! I believe everyone can change, given time. At least, that's what Miss Doriado taught me!" Then, she smiled at Atticus, stunning him with her bright and pure smile. "It'll take time, I know that, but I believe Vice-Chancellor Bonaparte can change if we give him time and offer a bit of kindness, even if a little."

"...I AM NOT WORTHY!" cried out Atticus, crying out tears of joy as he bowed his head and laid near Elize's feet, worshipping her as though she was a goddess.

"E-Eh?! What?! Atticus, you don't need to-!"

"Elize! Be my sister!"

"What?!"

"Yes, you can be my new, younger, little, adorable cinnamon bun that needs protecting!"

"Atticus, that's not possible! Besides, don't you have Alexis?!"

"Both you and her can both be my adorable little sisters! I can get the files to adopt you!"

"I'm not an orphan, Atticus! This is ridiculous!"

* * *

 **Finished! Read and review!**


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